The Unsung Heroes of Debt Ceiling Negotiations: How Low-Key Lawmakers Played a Crucial Role in Averting a Crisis

In the midst of rising political polarization and partisanship, it is easy to downplay the role of low-key lawmakers who quietly work to avert crises and secure bipartisan deals. This week, a group of pragmatic conservatives and moderate Democrats, mostly belonging to various middle-of-the-road coalitions such as the “Republican Main Street Caucus” and the “New Democrat Coalition,” helped pass a bill to raise the debt ceiling, staving off the risk of a historic default on U.S. debt for the first time. While these lawmakers prefer the term “pragmatic conservatives” to “moderates,” their role in averting the debt-ceiling crisis cannot be understated.

The bill passed by a tally of 314-117, with votes from two-thirds of House Republicans and more than three-quarters of Democrats. While the passing of the bill is not the most popular decision on either side, it was the Silent Middle Majority that played a critical role in securing its support. The rise of partisan politics and the lack of competitiveness in most districts gives lawmakers little incentive to compromise, making it more challenging to reach bipartisan deals. However, this week’s debt-ceiling negotiations highlight that it is still possible to form alliances and focus on solutions instead of airing grievances.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has a sliver of a majority and had to make concessions to get his position, relied on the likes of Reps. Dusty Johnson and Garret Graves. Johnson, who chairs the Republican Main Street Caucus, represents about 75 GOP members. Graves, a former chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana, is seen as a “get-it-done” person among Republican members. Both lawmakers played an essential role in securing the support of members from their respective parties, reaching across the aisle when required, to pass the bill.

President Biden also played a critical role in the negotiations. Despite facing negative sentiments from the right, he has repeatedly shown his ability to work with opponents, even those across the aisle. During his 30-plus years in the Senate, he built strong working relationships with senators on both sides of the aisle, which he has relied on since becoming president. In fact, the passing of the debt-ceiling bill is the most recent reflection of his ability to reach bipartisan agreements since taking office.

The delayed rematch also works to the advantage of both Biden and McCarthy, taking the issue off the table until after the presidential election. With other challenges such as inflation and rising interest rates, that’s good news for Biden and the Democrats, as the bill raises the debt ceiling until 2025.

However, it is critical to remember that this win for the Silent Middle Majority is just one battle in a long-running war. McCarthy still has the loyalty of the most extreme members of his party to contend with, and those same members may push to remove him from his position in the future. For now, the focus should be on the middle, where pragmatic conservatives and moderate Democrats continue to work across the aisle, away from the noise of the extremes.

In conclusion, the successful debt-ceiling negotiations show that pragmatism and compromise are still possible in American politics. The low-key lawmakers who worked behind the scenes to reach an agreement deserve recognition for their efforts to avoid a potential default on U.S. debt. In a time where politics is driven by partisanship, lawmakers should focus on building mutually beneficial alliances, putting the needs of the country before political gains.