Schumer says he'll work with Republicans who 'shake off the MAGA wing' of the GOP
Schumer spoke about the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act, and working with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on government funding
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., praised both parties for coming together to pass a bill supporting gay marriage and claimed more bipartisan action can happen in the future if the GOP casts aside those who support former President Donald Trump.
Speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday morning, Schumer singled out GOP Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine, Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., for supporting the Respect for Marriage Act, claiming that his preference is to try and pass legislation with support from both parties.
"I hope that yesterday’s vote is a signal that both parties can keep working together on difficult issues in the next Congress. If our Republican colleagues can shake off the MAGA wing of the of their party that is holding Republicans down, we can get a lot done," Schumer said. "And it's obvious to everyone there are many Republican senators who don't embrace MAGA. And we say to them, we want to keep working with you."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The New York Democrat argued that both parties working together is "necessary in order to keep tackling the big problems that face our country" and that Republicans abandoning Trump's "MAGA" movement "will go a long way to restoring people’s faith that Congress can work together and even disagree without being disagreeable."
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., praises his Democratic Caucus at a news conference just after the Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Senate passage sets up final congressional approval by the House next week so lawmakers can send it to President Joe Biden for his signature. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Schumer then discussed how he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are on the same page regarding government funding, which will run out in 16 days without further action. Both men are in favor of passing an omnibus bill rather than delaying the problem by passing a continuing resolution.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Though we have different views of what should be in it … both Leader McConnell and I have said that an omnibus is the best way for supporting our troops, supporting our allies in Ukraine, and keeping Americans safe at home and abroad," Schumer said. "A CR, meanwhile, is horrible news for our troops in uniform because it will throw their families into great uncertainty and severely hinder their ability to keep America safe."
McConnell has been among the Republicans who have not been in line with Trump after the GOP had a an underwhelming showing in the midterm elections. While the party was predicting a "red wave" given President Biden's unpopularity, they barely squeaked out a House majority and could lose a seat in the Senate depending on how the Dec. 6 Georgia run-off goes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Most recently, McConnell condemned Trump on Tuesday for his dinner last week with Kanye West, aka Ye, and White nationalist Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago, saying Trump is unlikely to be re-elected in 2024 due to the event.
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"There is no room in the Republican Party for antisemitism or white supremacy. And anyone meeting with people advocating that point of view, in my judgment, are highly unlikely to ever be elected president of the United States," McConnell said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump fired back, calling McConnell "a loser for our nation and for the Republican Party who would not have been re-elected in Kentucky without my endorsement." The former president also claimed that he had not been familiar with Fuentes or his views and would not have accepted those views had they been expressed during the dinner.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.