One critical Senate vote

WHEN COVID, THE ELECTION AND THE FEDERAL RESERVE COLLIDE
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent

As President Donald Trump refuses to concede, coronavirus cases continue to reach new heights and Congress nears a bumpy end to its session, the stormy waves of 2020 politics converged today in the U.S. Capitol in a single vote. And this has presented us the opportunity to touch on and update you on all of it.

Congress and the coronavirus

30 members of Congress have tested positive for or been presumed positive for COVID-19 since March. The latest four came in the past few days: Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Reps. Don Young, R-Alaska, Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Cheri Bustos, D-Ill.
Many others have had to self-quarantine at various points due to known exposure.

Coronavirus and the Federal Reserve nominee

Today, the U.S. Senate held a key vote on a controversial nominee for the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors.

Judy Shelton is an economist and controversial nominee from Trump who draws strong praise and equally strong criticism. She has sharply attacked the Fed and decisions made by chair Jerome Powell, and has openly called for a return to the gold standard as the basis of the U.S. monetary system.

Her views put her at odds with Democrats but also drew opposition from three Republican senators.

With 53 Republicans currently seated in the Senate, she could have squeaked through with the support of 50 and a tie breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence. Also helping her chances was the potential absence of Sen. Kamala Harris, the vice president-elect, who has been in Delaware preparing for the transition but who has not yet resigned her seat.

But unlike the House, the Senate chose not to allow proxy voting amid the pandemic. Senators must be physically present.

Yesterday, Grassley announced he was quarantining after being exposed to COVID-19 and today confirmed he tested positive for the virus. Days earlier, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., announced he would self-quarantine.

The result? A gripping (for political nerds) math problem.

Republicans went from having 53 Senate votes, to a starting point of 51.
Subtract the three Republicans opposed to Shelton and they were down to 48.
No Democrats were going to vote to approve Shelton.
That could have led to a 48-48 tie, with Pence as tie-breaker, if Harris did not attend.

But late Tuesday morning, Democrats got the message to Harris that her vote could be critical. She made it to the Capitol in time, voted, and the Shelton nomination was blocked. For now. Republicans can try to return to it, but they have a narrow window. They are on holiday recess next week, and on the following Monday, Nov. 30, they lose a seat in the chamber.

That is when newly elected Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly steps in to replace Republican Sen. Martha McSally after he defeated her in a special election. That will put the balance of power in the Senate at 52-48. If the three Republicans who were opposed to Shelton remain so, and Democrats don’t budge, Trump won’t have the numbers he needs to push through his nominee.

While the Shelton fight is not necessarily over, there are few remaining paths to victory.

FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Ian Couzens, @iancouzenz
Politics production assistant

Progressive House Democrats urge Biden against Defense chief with contractor ties. Nov. 12. A letter from Reps. Barbara Lee and Mark Pocan highlighted concerns over the connections between senior DOD leadership and military contractors, suggesting that record high defense budgets in recent years have been the cost of having senior defense personnel “intimately connected” to the corporations. Why it matters: Though Lee and Pocan won’t vote on Biden’s cabinet appointments, their letter offers a glimpse into how progressives would view the possible appointment of Michèle Flournoy, Biden's likely top pick for Defense secretary who has also in recent years consulted for big-name defense contractors. Progressive senators could seek to block the appointment. -- The Hill

A Black woman should fill Kamala Harris’ Senate seat, California caucus says. Nov. 13. The state’s Black leaders have put forth Reps. Karen Bass and Barbara Lee for consideration to replace Harris, but many are also pushing for a Latino to be appointed. Why it matters: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s choice has significant implications for representation and inclusivity and is likely to be highly scrutinized. A Latino senator would be a first for California, a state with a huge Latino population, but Harris is also currently the only Black woman serving in the Senate. -- Sacramento Bee

Nevada becomes first state to protect same-sex marriage in its Constitution. Nov. 15. Nevada voters banned same-sex marriage in 2002, but 60 percent voted to protect it in 2020. Why it matters: With a new conservative majority in the Supreme Court, the amendment means same-sex marriage rights will be protected even if the 2015 ruling in Obergevell v. Hodges that legalized gay marriage nationwide is overturned. -- The Baltimore Sun

The Biden team’s tug of war over Facebook. Nov. 16. Many Democrats view Facebook’s failure to prevent the spread of misinformation on its platform as an existential threat that needs to be tackled by the incoming administration, but President-elect Joe Biden has chosen people with close ties to the social media company to serve on his transition team. Why it matters: Some are concerned that instead of cracking down on the company, Biden could embrace the Obama administration's friendly relationship with Facebook, potentially giving cabinet positions to company alums. -- Politico

Perdue ducks debate against Ossoff ahead of January runoff. Nov. 16. After Georgia Sen. David Perdue canceled the last debate before the Nov. 3 election to attend a rally with President Donald Trump, he has again declined to debate competitor Jon Ossoff, saying he wants to focus on energizing his supporters. Why it matters: Voters asked to choose between Ossoff and Perdue for a second time will not get another chance to see them go head to head. This time, Perdue’s absence is drawing national attention, as the runoff is one of two in Georgia that will determine which party controls the Senate. -- The Atlanta Journal Constitution

#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Kate Grumke, @KGrumke
Politics producer

On this day in 1800, Congress moved to Washington, D.C. It held its first session in the capital city, after a decade of meeting in Philadelphia.

Our question: Where did the first congress originally meet?

Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.

Last week, we asked: Which president started the recent tradition of leaving a note for his successor?

The answer: George H.W. Bush

Bush wrote to then President-elect Bill Clinton, “Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.” You can read the full text of the letters here.

Congratulations to our winner: Peg Perri!

Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week.

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