May 19, 2022: Dems face election year drag
With Memorial Day recess around the corner and much of President Joe Biden's agenda still stuck on Capitol Hill, a sense of helplessness has settled in among some Democrats: The closer they inch toward Election Day, they realize, the more unlikely they are to notch any additional legislative victories. And yet, voters are angry and demanding action now.\nJust look at this quote from No. 2 Senate Democrat Dick Durbin in a Burgess Everett story up this morning on the ongoing reconciliation talks between Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.): \u201cI put so much time into immigration on reconciliation. It took a year of my legislative life. I have nothing to show for it.\u201d He continued: \u201cI wish Chuck well on reconciliation. I\u2019m going to focus my legislative efforts in the 60-vote world.\u201d\nSo what's a vulnerable Democrat to do? Dems in swing districts have been asking this very question for months now. Here are a few strategies Hill Democrats seem to be employing to protect themselves politically...\nSubscribe to the POLITICO Playbook newsletter\nRaghu Manavalan is the Host of POLITICO's Playbook.Jenny Ament is the Executive Producer of POLITICO Audio.