McConnell, Senate GOP to sit out debt limit talks

Senate Republicans have said they’re happy to take a back seat when it comes to fight over raising the debt ceiling and cede the negotiations to their Democrat colleagues in the House, for the time being.

House Republicans praised McConnell stating earlier on this week that Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Republicans will be the ones liaising with the White House in relation to discussions about the debt ceiling.

“The public is on the side of doing something. … Until we’re clear on what we’re going to do, I’m glad the House is taking that on. I think there will be many of us in the Senate who will welcome that,” Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) told the media.

“We haven’t taken the leadership here to do anything about it and I think that they’re clear. … That’ll be a tricky negotiation over there because someone’s ox is going to get gored along the way,” he added.

Senate Republicans have said that they will keep a close watch on talks and will be observing to see if Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) can broker a deal with his thin majority.

“I think the reason he’s taken that position this time around is because he understands that with the Republican House and the Democratic White House, you’re not going to get anything through the Senate that hasn’t been signed off by a Republican House or be willing to get a signature by a Democratic president,” Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said of McConnell.

“This is a divided government. … Ultimately, that’s where I think the negotiation needs to start,” Thune added.

Some Republican Senators do have apprehension about how their House colleagues will fare in talks with The White House.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) spoke to the media this week and said that he doesn’t “know what page they’re on” when asked if he and the House Republicans are singing from the same hymn sheet.