Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) solidified himself as the Senate’s leading populist after voting for several economically liberal Democratic amendments during an hourslong voting marathon.
The votes took place as the Senate moved forward with legislation funding tens of billions of dollars for the border early on Friday morning in the so-called “vote-a-rama” that has become a fixture of budget reconciliation, a legislative process that allows for bills to bypass the filibuster and pass with only a simple majority in the Senate.
Hawley, who supports fellow populists President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, voted for a number of Democratic amendments during the process, which is seen as an exercise in messaging for the party in the minority, as their amendments rarely pass. The amendments were mostly nonbinding measures but still indicated the political positioning of senators.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) filed an amendment that would prevent tax cuts for the wealthy if a single dollar of Medicaid funding is cut. Hawley was the only Republican other than centrist Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to vote in favor of it.
That amendment is particularly notable because Republicans are eyeing changes to the program to help pay for tax cuts and other spending as part of their major reconciliation overhaul. Hawley clarified on Thursday that he does support work requirements for Medicaid, which is estimated to save some $140 billion, but he doesn’t support benefit cuts.
“Benefit cuts is where a red line would be for me,” Hawley told the Washington Examiner. “I mean a work requirement. That’s something that probably unites Republicans.”
Additionally, Hawley voted for an amendment to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to ending price gouging on prescription drugs, one to create a point of order against legislation that would reduce Medicare and Medicaid benefits for Americans, and an amendment to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to protecting access to maternal and pediatric healthcare through Medicaid.
Hawley was the only Republican who voted for an amendment from Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) aimed at curbing hedge fund ownership of single-family homes to limit rent prices.
“Hedge funds are gobbling up whole neighborhoods—pushing the cost to buy or rent a home out of reach for many families,” Merkley said on X. “I introduced a budget amendment to push hedge funds out of the single-family housing market. Republicans shot it down—a vote against lower rents!”
Hawley was again the only Republican senator to vote for an amendment from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to “ensure the full and uninterrupted funding” of the PACT Act, a piece of 2022 legislation that authorized spending to expand healthcare and benefits for U.S. veterans exposed to toxic substances.
Hawley has not shied away from bucking his own party on certain matters. For instance, he teamed up with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one of the most liberal lawmakers, to introduce legislation this year capping credit card interest rates at 10%. Notably, Trump talked about capping such rates on the campaign trail.
“Working Americans are drowning in record credit card debt while the biggest credit card issuers get richer and richer by hiking their interest rates to the moon,” Hawley said. “It’s not just wrong, it’s exploitative. And it needs to end.”
The Republican Party, under the leadership of Trump, has become increasingly more populist in recent years. Several GOP lawmakers now support measures such as expanding the child tax credit, which gives families with children more money to support their families.
The party, long a bastion of free trade, has also become more open to the idea of tariffs, which Trump has pushed hard for. Many Republicans have also been vocal about reining in Big Tech, arguing that those corporations have consolidated too much power.
The 10-hour “vote-a-rama” marathon finally ended around 5 a.m. on Friday morning. The budget resolution, which was approved in a 52-48 vote, would provide some $340 billion for border security and defense.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the sole Republican who voted against the resolution, expressing concerns about its fiscal ramifications. The Senate resolution is separate from a House budget resolution that would not only include funding for the border but would also extend expiring provisions of the 2017 Trump tax cuts.
Trump favors the one big bill strategy in the House, but Senate leadership sees the now-passed border funding resolution as a Plan B, should the closely divided House have problems getting its resolution across the finish line.
SENATE APPROVES TRUMP BUDGET PLAN AFTER HOURS-LONG VOTING MARATHON
Hawley said he was previously planning to vote against the overall Senate resolution, given Trump’s preference for the House version, but decided to vote for it after speaking with Trump.
“He made clear to me, however, he wants one big, beautiful bill. He said that two or three times on the phone,” Hawley said. “So, you know, I think this is maybe better than nothing.”