Punchbowl News: “From the dealmakers and moderates to hardline conservatives, GOP senators are in lockstep behind Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s hands-off approach to the debt-limit crisis. President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy must take the lead in resolving this crisis, McConnell insists, and the Senate should play a rare supporting role.”
“It’s a surprising show of unity for a GOP leader who six months ago faced the first real challenge to his role atop the Republican conference. McConnell was criticized by conservatives for working too closely with Democrats in the last Congress.”
“There’s zero appetite among Senate Republicans to do anything that would undermine McCarthy’s negotiating position ahead of a May 9 White House meeting between Biden and the Big Four leaders.”
Meanwhile, Playbook notes Republicans are looking to Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) to break ranks with the Democratic caucus on the issue.
