US Senate-Elect

Inside Senate Democrats' leadership standoff

Chuck Schumer will take the top spot, but Patty Murray and Dick Durbin are still circling the no. 2 job.

And now, 13 days before Nov. 8, Murray still won’t signal her intentions — and is unlikely to until after the election, given that she’s on the ballot in Washington. It raises the prospect of an ugly power struggle, right when Democrats will be seeking to portray Paul Ryan and his House GOP as unstable and disorganized.

“She’s keeping her cards very close to her vest,” said a senior Democratic source.

Democrats say their main goal is to come up with a solution that gives the appearance that everyone is a winner, even if there is a limited amount of power to go around at the top rungs of Democratic leader.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/senate-democrats-schumer-durbin-mu...