Before gloating too much, it behooves to keep in mind that this means less chance of Dems regaining majority control of the Senate.

McConnell: 15-20 GOP senators will not vote for any coronavirus deal

By Jordain Carney @ TheHIll.com, July 31

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Friday that more than a third of Republican senators will not vote for any coronavirus relief package, underscoring division with his caucus. 

"I think there are 15-20 of my guys that are not going to vote for anything. ... It's a statement of the obvious that we will not have everybody on our side," McConnell told WHAS, a Kentucky radio station. 

McConnell's estimate comes as congressional Democrats and the administration are struggling to reach an agreement after days of talks about a potential fifth coronavirus package as cases climb across the country and an economy bludgeoned by the pandemic. 

McConnell, during the radio interview, said the two sides were "light-years apart," the latest sign that Congress and the White House are not close to a quick deal. 

"This negotiation is going to be tough," he added. "At the moment there's not much movement." 

But GOP divisions have also been in the spotlight after several senators trashed their own party's package, which was unveiled Monday. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called the bill a "mess," while Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) argued that the negotiations were being carried out by "two big government Democrats."

McConnell, asked why a sizable portion of his conference is opposed to another bill, noted the growing size of the country's debt after Congress has already appropriated nearly $3 trillion in the previous four coronavirus bills. 

"Their argument's not irrational. ... They don't think we ought to pass another one of these bills. I don't agree with that," McConnell said. 

Asked what those GOP senators would say to voters, McConnell added, "I think everybody's got to make their best call here."  [....]