GOP counters Democratic punch on border security
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Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) after speaking during a news conference following a Senate Republican Party policy luncheon on Capitol Hill on May 15. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Senate Republicans are trying to slip a political punch from Democrats on the border, intensifying and doubling down on attacks against vulnerable incumbents.
Why it matters: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) this week tried to put the GOP on the back foot on the issue by resurrecting a bipartisan border package, which Republicans are expected to sink.
- But Republicans have put up a united front against the Democratic tactic, with even some conservatives who previously supported the bill saying they will vote against it this time.
- The bill would give the White House extra tools to restrict asylum when numbers at the border rise.
The big picture: Schumer's move to bring the bill back from the dead was panned as a purely political move by Republican leaders.
- Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), the second-ranking Republican in the chamber, said Tuesday that Democrats were only "appearing" to be doing something on the border because it is a political liability for the party in an election year.
- Republican leadership instead pushed President Biden to take executive action on the border and put back into place rules that he overturned when he came into office.
Republicans want to make the border issue hurt the most for the Democrats they are trying to unseat in November.
- The last two weeks have seen a blitz of border-related attack ads on Democrats across the map. That includes an ad hammering Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) for his record on not supporting a border wall and another slamming Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) for the "Biden-Baldwin border crisis."
- Republicans are also circulating a list of 100 border-related bills that have been introduced by Senate Republicans this Congress and elevating 22 amendments related to the border crisis that have been blocked by Democrats.
- It is a focus of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and a spokesperson for the committee told Axios that "Senate Democrats have spent decades supporting policies that led to the disaster at the southern border."
Yes, but: Democrats have brushed aside the attacks, pointing the finger back at Republicans for not supporting the bipartisan border package.
- Casey told Axios that "you prove your worth on an issue by how you vote, and they should vote for the bill."
- A campaign spokesperson for Baldwin told Axios the senator is "focused on solutions, not political games" and will "work with anyone" to secure the border.
- Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, told Axios the Republican refusal to vote for the border package "shows that they're hypocrites."
Reality check: The border package is almost certain to fail, with both Republicans and some liberal Democrats signaling they will not vote for the bill.
- Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) signaled Monday he would not back the bill, and Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) told Axios on Tuesday he was still considering how to vote on the measure.
