GOP senators want to scrap holidays and work nonstop after midterm defeat to save Trump's agenda

WASHINGTON, DC: Republican senators want to scrap their holiday breaks and keep working in Washington until January after the midterms handed control of the Senate to Democrats. With only a few weeks left before they lose their majority, senators including Rick Scott and Mike Lee are urging their party to act quickly. They want to advance President Trump's priorities and confirm as many nominees as possible before Democrats take over.

Scott called on the Senate to remain in session every day, while Lee highlighted that Republicans have only about eight weeks left in the majority. Other GOP lawmakers also want to use the remaining time to pass legislation and address unfinished business. Meanwhile, Ron Johnson has called on Republicans to delay their leadership elections, giving the party time to regroup following what he described as a "stunning defeat."

Rick Scott and Mike Lee urge Senate Republicans to work without breaks

Scott urged Republicans to stop arguing and focus on their remaining legislative responsibilities. He said the Senate should work every day until Democrats take control in January.

In another post, Scott called for every judge and presidential nominee to be confirmed and for the party's priorities to be completed before Republicans lose their majority.

Lee also urged his Republican colleagues to return to work immediately and make use of the remaining weeks in power. He argued that the party should prioritize legislative work instead of rushing into leadership elections.

Sen. Ron Johnson separately questioned the need to hold leadership elections so soon after the midterms, pointing to the timeline followed by previous Senate leadership contests.

Republicans are concerned that once Democrats take control of the chamber, they could stall or alter Trump's agenda. GOP senators therefore want to use their remaining time in the majority to push through budget reforms, tighten election laws, streamline permitting and confirm Trump's nominees.

Bernie Moreno had urged Republicans to cancel Thanksgiving break

The calls for an extended legislative session follow an earlier warning from Sen. Bernie Moreno, who had urged Republicans to abandon their holiday plans if the party lost control of Congress in the midterms.

The idea of extending the legislative session is not new. In October, before the election, Moreno warned that Republicans should scrap their holiday plans and remain in Washington if they lost control of Congress. He also floated the idea of a major reconciliation package that would include as many Republican priorities as possible before the year ended.

“If we lose the House and the Senate, we should be here from Nov. 9 until Dec. 31 with no break at all,” Moreno said. “Like, we'll have turkeys here for Thanksgiving.”

In a November 6 post, Moreno outlined his position on working with Democrats after the election.

Moreno called the proposed legislation a "Last Supper," signaling the high stakes of the final legislative push. He said Republicans would pursue a reconciliation bill regardless of the election outcome.

Republicans had several major legislative priorities on their agenda, including funding the government beyond December 11, emergency defense spending, lifting the debt ceiling, passing the National Defense Authorization Act, advancing the farm bill, reforming permitting rules and confirming presidential nominees.

Meanwhile, the administration pushed for funding to cover priorities such as Trump's Golden Dome missile defense system and military upgrades.

With Democrats set to take control in January, Republican senators now face a limited window to advance their remaining legislative priorities. Their calls to cancel holiday breaks and stay in Washington reflect the urgency within the party to protect Trump's agenda before the balance of power shifts.