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Republicans on Tuesday blocked a procedural vote to advance a sweeping voting reforms bill in the Senate, sinking Democrats' attempt to begin debate on their landmark legislation overhauling the nation's election laws.
With a 50-50 vote, the effort, which garnered last-minute backing from Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, fell far short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. All Republicans oppose the voting rights bill and voted against taking up the legislation, which is Democrats' answer to restrictive voting measures enacted in GOP-led states following the 2020 presidential election.