Outside the Beltway

As expected, Senate Republicans invoked the so-called ‘nuclear option’ to move the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch forward to a final vote on Friday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch even as it became inevitable that Republicans would be forced to invoke the ‘nuclear option’ to confirm him to the Supreme Court.

Next week’s big news is likely to be the Senate’s vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which could mean invocation of the so-called ‘nuclear option’ by Senate Republicans.

Let the games begin.

Senate Democrats are divided on how to approach the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, making it likely that he’ll be confirmed.

With two votes last night, President Trump’s Cabinet is coming together.

After a highly contentious nomination process, Jeff Sessions was confirmed last night as the new Attorney General of the United States.

Senate Democrats are set to almost unanimously oppose virtually all of the Trump Cabinet nominees yet to be voted on.

In the end, an effort by Democrats to block Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court does not seem like a good use of their rather limited options.

In the wake of failure that could have been easily foreseen, the Obama Administration is ending a program to train so-called “moderate” Syrian rebels.

The final effort to block the Iran Nuclear Deal failed in the Senate yesterday, meaning that the deal will now move forward.

At least on paper, Senate Democrats now have enough votes to block the Senate from voting on a resolution disapproving of the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Senate Democrats are now just one vote away from being able to block a veto override, meaning that the effort to block the Iran Nuclear Deal will most certainly fail.

Political reality shows us that the shootings in Charleston are not going to have any appreciable impact on the likelihood of any type of gun control law passing anywhere outside of the bluest of the blue states.

Rand Paul held the Senate floor for nearly twelve hours yesterday to talk about the PATRIOT Act, but it’s unclear if he accomplished anything.

Democrats like New York Senator Chuck Schumer could end up being the ones that scuttle the Iranian nuclear deal.

With three days to go, there are signs the GOP is ready to give up on its showdown over DHS funding.

West Virginia’s Joe Manchin is reportedly mulling leaving the Senate to run once again for a job where he’d have the ability to actually accomplish something.

Just one day into the new Congress, the first confrontation is already set.

On substance, the President’s immigration actions aren’t very objectionable. How he is implementing them, though, is problematic and seems needlessly confrontational.

Despite speculation, both Angus King and Joe Manchin will stay with the Democratic caucus. And that makes sense for both of them.

After spiking in the wake of the Newtown tragedy, gun control has faded back into obscurity as an issue voters care about significantly.

The GOP has a good chance of taking the Senate in 2014, but it will be by a narrow margin.

The tragedy in Santa Barbara will. inevitably, revive the same old gun debate. But can it ever evolve beyond shouting?

Once again, Washington politicians are pontificating about the Washington Redskins.

Mitch McConnell’s hopes to become Senate Majority Leader could hinge on what happens in his own state and in Georgia.

Former RNC Chair Ed Gillespie is challenging incumbent Senator Mark Warner for his Senate seat.

The likelihood of any action on gun control in 2014 is extremely limited

Gun control has faded as a political issue as the memory of Newtown has faded, and that was entirely predictable.

It wasn’t a Thermonuclear move, more like something the size of Hiroshima, but today the Senate took an historic move nonetheless.

It’s no wonder there’s no compromise in Congress.

The bad roll out of the Affordable Care Act is starting to lead to calls for delays in enforcement of the law.

Harry and Mitch to the rescue?

With the House’s proposed deal reaching an impasse, the Senate is now taking center stage.

Low voter priorities and the natural tendency of the media to move on to the next big story meant that gun control was not going to be a top political issue for long.

Several Senators who voted against the Manchin/Toomey background checks bill have suffered in the polls, but it’s unclear if that matters in the long run.

The prospects for gun control appear to be dimming.