Harris says she supports eliminating filibuster rules

WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said in a radio interview Tuesday that she supports changing Senate procedures to codify abortion rights.

Vice President Harris said she favors ending the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, known as the filibuster, to advance abortion rights legislation. But the task will depend on whether Democrats agree to do so and retain majority control of the Senate, a difficult task this November because Republicans appear poised to take back the upper chamber.

“I think we should remove the obstruction of Roe and get us to the point where we need 51 votes to actually enshrine into law protections for reproductive freedom and the ability of every person and every woman to make their own decisions. body instead of having the government tell them what to do,” she said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.

In 2022, Harris said she would cast a decisive vote As vice president, she supported abortion rights. She has frequently promised to sign into law Roe v. Wade, the conservative U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in August that Democrats would discuss changing the rules to codify abortion rights. NBC reports.

Trump in Pennsylvania

At Monday’s rally in PennsylvaniaRepublican presidential candidate Donald Trump calls himself a “protector” of women. Trump said women no longer have to think about abortion and it’s “now something states have always had to think about.”

“All they want to do is talk about abortion,” the former president said at the rally, referring to Democrats. “That really doesn’t apply anymore because we’ve done something on abortion that no one thought was possible.”

Trump has called on Senate Republicans to abolish the filibuster, but other Republican leaders such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and No. 2 Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, have vowed to maintain the process.

Current Senate projections suggest Republicans may gain control of the Senate. Republicans are also expected to pick up a seat in West Virginia and only have to hold on to seats in Florida, Texas and Nebraska.

Democrats need wins in Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Additionally, Senate Democrats will need to break a possible 50-50 tie with a Democratic presidency if they want to maintain their majority and change the filibuster.

If Harris wins and Democrats hold 50 seats in the Senate, vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, will be the deciding vote.

At a Senate press conference on abortion on Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said she supported Harris’ position and that it would be to eliminate the filibuster, not eliminate it.

“What we are talking about is a simple process whereby whenever someone’s rights have been taken away, the United States Senate can restore those rights without obstruction,” she said.

Harris, Trump and the economy

The Harris campaign held a news conference with business owner and “Shark Tank” investor Mark Cuban on Tuesday to advocate for Harris’ economic policies.

Polls find that voters think Trump is better for the economy. pew research center The study found that Trump’s main advantage is the economy, with 55% of voters believing the former president has made good decisions on the economy and 45% believing Harris has made good decisions on the economy.

“In short, the vice president and her team have carefully considered her policies,” Cuban said. “She’s not going to be like the Republican nominee and just say whatever she thinks the crowd wants to hear.”

Battleground states remain favorites

Candidates will continue to campaign and travel, especially around battleground states this week.

Trump is scheduled to visit Savannah, Georgia, on Tuesday, where he will deliver a campaign speech in the afternoon about lowering taxes on business owners.

Walz is scheduled to return to his home state of Minnesota on Tuesday for a campaign reception there.

Harris is about to go Pennsylvania Wednesdayto attend campaign rallies, then she will travel to Arizona on Friday and Nevada on Sunday.

Trump will stop in Mint Hill, North Carolina, on Wednesday to speak on the importance of making goods in the United States. .

Vance will deliver a campaign speech on the economy Thursday in Macon, Georgia, and then host a voter mobilization event in Flowery Branch, Georgia.

Trump plans to rally supporters in Walker, Miss., on Friday and hold a town hall meeting in Warren, Miss., in the evening.

U.S. Newsroom reporter Jennifer Shute contributed to this report.