Schumer on Filibuster: Manchin, Sinema Still Talking to Us — ‘We Are Going to Keep Fighting and Pushing’

Wednesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sounded off on the Democrats’ efforts to end the Senate filibuster as they push to pass voting rights legislation.

Schumer advised that Democratic leadership is “not conceding” despite Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) publicly refusing to end the filibuster. He added they are having “constant discussions” and pushing to get the two senators on board.

“[W]e’re having constant discussions,” Schumer stated. “Last night for two and a half hours, nine senators of disparate ideologies and regions met with Senator Sinema. As soon as I finish this interview, nine of us are meeting with Manchin. We’re having constant discussions, and we’re exploring ways they are against eliminating the filibuster. Many in our caucus are for it, but even those who are not are for changes in the rule, not for eliminating it totally. Even those who are not for eliminating it totally are for changes in the rules that allow us to pass voting rights.”

“We’re actively discussing potential changes in the rules that hopefully can get all 50 of us there. Do I want to dilute people and think it’s easy or almost there? No. It’s an uphill fight, but we’re constantly at it,” he continued. “Manchin and Sinema are still talking to us, all of us, on a very regular and tense basis, and we are going to keep fighting and pushing in hopes that we can get this done. It’s too important to drop.”

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