Biden prods Senate, but Sinema blunts voting bill’s chances

By BRIAN SLODYSKO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet privately with Senate Democrats at the Capitol, a visit intended to deliver a jolt to the party’s long-stalled voting and elections legislation. Before he arrived on Thursday, Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema blunted the bill’s chances further, declaring she could not support a “short sighted” rules change to get past a Republican blockade. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is using Senate procedural rules to bypass a filibuster and force the legislation to the floor for a debate. But the Democrats still lack the support within their own party to overhaul the rules and pass the bill with a simple majority.