‘Wow’: Republican Senator Stuns Fox’s Maria Bartiromo With Fanciful Math on Senate Democrats Passing GOP Debt Ceiling Plan

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo on Tuesday that the House GOP plan to raise the debt ceiling while cutting federal spending will sail through the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate – much to the surprise of Bartiromo.

“And I again, just want to give the Republican-controlled House credit. Quite often my townhalls folks criticize us. Why can’t you Republicans stick together? Well, they stuck together. And this is a much more responsible budget,” Marshall began on the House plan put forward by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The plan, which uses the risk of the U.S. defaulting as a wedge to cut federal spending, passed the House last week by a two-vote margin of 217 to 215.

“Again, it’s not perfect, but it does start reining in some of those wasted Covid dollars, work requirements. We don’t touch Medicare. We don’t touch Social Security. We don’t touch veterans like we promised we wouldn’t,” Marshall continued.

“So this is a good deal that if this would go on the Senate floor, I think it would pass,” Marshall declared.

“You do,” replied Bartiromo after a pause.

“I do. I do think that it would pass, but not with 50 Democrats. But I think there’d be 30 or 40 Democrats that would pass it and 20 or 30 Republicans that would vote for it,” Marshall explained, offering some surprising math and appearing to acknowledge that many Senate Republicans would oppose McCarthy’s plan.

“Wow,” Bartiromo replied and moved on without pushing for details.

Democratic leaders in the Senate have slammed McCarthy’s plan. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to hold hearings on the proposed cuts. “The Senate will show the public what this bill truly is. Beginning this week, our Committees will begin to hold hearings and expose the true impact of this reckless legislation on everyday Americans. On Thursday, the Budget Committee will hold a hearing on the Default on America Act,” Schumer said.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DL) accused the House GOP of “demanding hostage negotiations” over the debt ceiling.

Watch the full clip above via Fox Business Network.