Republicans return to Capitol Hill with agenda complicated by Graham death

Lawmakers face obstacles, including demands from Trump, Mitch McConnell’s absence and senator’s sudden death Republican lawmakers return to the Capitol this week facing a lengthy to-do list and Donald Trump’s demands for new voting restrictions, as Democrats jockey for an advantage ahead of the November midterm elections. Lawmakers from both parties are eager to highlight before voters legislative victories ahead of the midterms, when control of Congress is at stake. But for Senate Republicans, who are already navigating an array of demands from Trump, their agenda grew further complicated over the weekend with the death of Lindsey Graham, the budget committee chair who was a key player in negotiating a party-line bill to fund additional defense spending and other priorities outlined by the president. Together with the ongoing absence of Mitch McConnell who remains hospitalized after a fall , Senate Republicans will have to navigate a majority that’s down two members, though South Carolina’s governor has scheduled a press conference to announce Graham’s replacement on Monday afternoon. Republicans in both chambers remain confounded by Trump’s renewed fixation on the Save America Ac