Burnout hits Senate GOP after furious 2025 workload
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) leaves the Senate Republicans' lunch meeting this week. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Thirteen weeks in session, 213 votes, 55 confirmations, two vote-a-ramas and a final 2am vote — Senate Republicans could not be more ready for a two-week recess.
Why it matters: Republicans demanded that their new leader get the Senate working hard again. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) answered the call, but Republicans are feeling the effects of the Democratic opposition.
- Thune had to constantly haggle with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on vote times, and delays from Democrats have been particularly draining, Republicans told Axios.
- Senate staffers also had to stay nimble, needing to reschedule meetings or media appearances over the past few weeks.
- Tomorrow will mark the 100th day of the 119th Congress. Hopes for a Thursday afternoon fly-out were spoiled by Democratic holds on President Trump's nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Between the lines: Nobody wants to admit they're tired, but most GOP senators chuckled when Axios asked about the level of fatigue among their colleagues. A couple of senators threw each other under the bus.
- "Listening to our freshmen talk, I think this has been a rough stretch," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told Axios.
- "I think the older guys are getting tired," another senator told Axios, not wanting to be named.
What they're saying: "My sense is people are looking forward to spending some time at home," Hawley said.
- "I don't want to think like Washington. I want to make sure I think like home," Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said. "So getting home is really important."
- "I think we've set, pretty much, records," Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) told Axios. He expects the Senate to "come back swinging again" but admitted that it will be good to "get away from each other and go back in the states."
The bottom line: "We absolutely signed up for this," said Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.). "I think it is a critical moment in time ... and we'll certainly work around the clock, which is exactly what we're doing."
- "It's definitely different than my first two years when we were in the minority and we weren't doing a lot of stuff," Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) said.
- "I've never been busier," Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said. "But I'm proud of what we've accomplished."
- Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) said that despite "working long hours," the enthusiasm for nominees and tax reform "mitigates any physical exhaustion some of our members might feel."
What's next: GOP leadership told senators to expect eight votes a day when they come back from recess, sources told Axios.
