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Support Joe Collins for Congress!Sen. Chuck Schumer's efforts to torpedo the filibuster last night failed.
For Senate Democrats it wasn't the only defeat of the night.
Hours before, a cloture vote to end debate on the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act failed.
SEE ALSO: Biden Casts Doubt on Midterms' Legitimacy if Congress Doesn't Pass Election Reform Bill
Between the vote to federalize elections and end the filibuster, Schumer put vulnerable Democrats up for reelection this year on the spot.
Some, like Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), came out in favor of the rules change.
But Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) voted with every Republican last night. (Mediaite)
Manchin and Sinema had made their opposition to changing the filibuster clear, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) put them on the spot. The two Democratic holdouts responded by voting to keep it. Changing the rule required 51 votes to pass. If all Democratic senators had against maintaining the filibuster, Vice President Kamala Harris would have cast the tie-breaking vote.
Had the change gone into effect, the voting rights bill could be reintroduced and passed with a simple majority.
SEE ALSO: Filibuster Flashback: Dems Have Voted for More Filibusters Than Republicans
During a floor debate on the measure, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) slammed the effort.
“Tonight, for the first time in history almost an entire political party will write in permanent ink that they would shatter the soul of the Senate for short-term power,” he said. “But the brave bipartisan majority of this body is about to stop them.”
WATCH:
After the vote, GOP senators were seen shaking Sinema's hand.
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Support Joe Collins for Congress!
Hip Hip Hooray! A breather for all Americans that the Senate on both sides of the isle voted against turning the U.S. into a banana Republic! Much thanks to Sinema/Manchin for doing the right thing for the Country! Now the only one who turned out to be a banana was Chuck Schumer!