JD Vance is demonstrating a record-breaking rate in tie-breaking votes, indicating the contentious nature of Trump's political agenda.
In the ongoing political landscape of the United States, Vice President JD Vance has made a significant impact during President Donald Trump's second term by casting at least two tie-breaking votes in the Senate. These crucial votes have been instrumental in advancing fiscal measures, such as the recent rescissions package that includes cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting like NPR and PBS [1][3][5].
One of these votes, cast on July 15, 2025, broke a 50-50 Senate tie to advance a $9 billion rescissions bill [3]. This move has put Vance on a trajectory to potentially break more tie-breaking votes than any of his recent predecessors in a four-year period.
Historically, vice presidents can cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate when the chamber is equally divided, but the number varies widely by individual and circumstance. Unfortunately, the search results did not provide a direct numerical comparison of Vance’s tie-breaking votes to those of former vice presidents [2].
During Kamala Harris' watch, the largest Senate majority Democrats had was 51-49, unlike the current 53-47 Republican majority. The major votes Harris had to break ties on were the Covid stimulus bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. In contrast, the majority of the ties that Vance has broken were on nominations for judges or other lower-level positions.
In the past, Dick Cheney broke 8 tie-breakers in 8 years under George W. Bush, while Al Gore only broke 4 tie-breakers in 8 years under Bill Clinton. If Vance breaks another tie to pass the rescissions package Wednesday evening, he will be on pace to nearly double the current record for tie-breaking votes in a four-year period.
It is worth noting that the Republicans expanded their Senate majority in the 2024 election to a 53-47 edge. Despite this, the rescissions package, an effort to codify some of the spending cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency, is struggling to get passed despite seeming to focus on low-hanging fruit.
Interestingly, the new CNN poll shows Americans oppose President Trump's signature new domestic policy law by a 22-point margin. Despite its unpopularity, Congress still passed the new domestic policy law. The rescissions package, however, faces a more challenging road ahead.
In conclusion, Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking votes have played a crucial role in advancing fiscal measures during Trump's second term. While he is on pace to break more tie-breaking votes than any of his recent predecessors in a four-year period, a precise comparison with his predecessors requires additional research. The rescissions package, a key part of Trump's agenda, faces a tough battle in Congress, despite its focus on areas of potential agreement.
- Vice President JD Vance's ongoing impact in policy-and-legislation, particularly his tie-breaking votes, is noteworthy as it has advanced fiscal measures like the recent rescissions package, but a direct comparison with his predecessors' tie-breaking vote count still needs further investigation.
- In the political news, if Vice President JD Vance breaks another tie to pass the rescissions package, he will be on pace to nearly double the current record for tie-breaking votes in a four-year period, but the package faces a challenging road ahead due to its opposition in general-news and Congress.
