Trump has put McConnell in a 'terrible spot' and it may cost him his Senate majority: analysis

President Donald Trump's surprise last-minute attack on the pandemic relief package passed by the United States Senate this week threw Washington D.C. into chaos and made life significantly more difficult for Republicans.

Writing at the American Prospect, David Dayen argues that the biggest loser from Trump's demand that Congress increase direct payments to Americans from $600 to $2,000 is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who has been desperately trying to ensure the GOP retains its Senate majority by passing legislation that will put Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and David Perdue over the top in next month's runoff elections.

"This puts McConnell in a terrible spot," Dayen writes. "There's an election in Georgia in two weeks that will determine his Senate majority. The only reason McConnell passed this bill is to save Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue's careers and preserve his control of the Senate."

He notes that Democratic Georgia Senate hopefuls Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock have already jumped in to support the $2,000 payments, which gives them a potent issue in the final stretch of the campaign.

"If McConnell resists, losing the Senate is a much likelier scenario," he writes. "If he doesn't, people get $2,000."

Read the whole analysis here.