GOP senators turned on their own party's handling of the final stretch of Congress and faulted leaders for burning precious floor time.
Republicans spent their final hours in the Capitol staging votes they knew would fail, The New York Times reported Thursday. The votes were meant to show voters the GOP was working on rising costs, but they produced no meaningful results.
Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) gave his own party a blunt warning as Republicans left Washington to campaign ahead of the midterm elections.
"If you can't pay the bills, you know, no matter how much you love us as Republicans, we're in control," Justice said. "And if you can't pay the bills, you've got a real problem with us."
Justice said he had been "screaming to the high heavens for months" that lawmakers needed to show they understood ordinary Americans' financial struggles.
Republicans face a tough climate, with voters worried about the economy, inflation and the war in Iran, all while President Donald Trump's approval ratings are sagging, The Times noted. Still, the Senate devoted most of its final two weeks of floor time to a sweeping bill on college athletics.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) was frustrated that lawmakers rushed to take on major issues only after burning time on that measure.
"There are things you need to get done, and we shouldn't wait until the last minute," Kennedy said. "If I controlled the floor, we'd be doing a whole lot more."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) was more upbeat, and he pivoted to warnings about what Democrats would do if they won power.
"If you vote for Democrats, what you're going to get is higher taxes, more spending, bigger government and open borders," Thune said.
Some Republicans acknowledged that keeping the Senate may depend on candidates putting distance between themselves and Trump and the national party brand.
"Forget the national mood. Forget the national agenda. Focus on your state," said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who is not seeking re-election.