I spoke to CNN’s Mike Warren about the GOP primary dynamics, and the cautious approach by Senate leaders vis a vis Trump.

McConnell’s political team has greeted other Trump endorsements in open primaries with cautious accommodation — including Sean Parnell in Pennsylvania, Mo Brooks in Alabama, and Ted Budd in North Carolina. None could be described as McConnell’s ideal candidates, said one Republican consultant, but none would significantly diminish the GOP’s chances of winning next November.

And in the case of Nevada’s Adam Laxalt, Trump has thrown his support behind a candidate McConnell worked to recruit himself.

“Except, arguably, in Georgia, Trump hasn’t picked anybody who can’t win, and there aren’t any competitive races where an establishment alternative would be a slam dunk,” said Liam Donovan, a Republican strategist. “You don’t wade into a primary proxy battle against Trump for sport — there has to be something to gain.”

Read the full piece here.

I spoke to NBC News‘ Sahil Kapur about the brutal September gauntlet shaping up for Democrats on Capitol Hill.

“Late September stands to be a train wreck for congressional Democrats, with their dual-track strategy on a collision course, but it also presents a faint silver lining in the form of a familiar foe,” said Liam Donovan, a lobbyist and former Republican operative. “There’s virtually no way the reconciliation package can be ready in time to satisfy all the promises that have been made by leadership, meaning President Biden will have to play a more active role as peacemaker.

“The question is whether the muscle memory of fighting Republicans on the debt limit and the rest of the policy cliff helps paper over the party’s divisions and heal intramural wounds,” he added. “Either way, it’s the biggest inflection point left in what might be the last fruitful year of the Democratic trifecta.”

Read the full piece here.

I spoke to TIME‘s Molly Ball for her profile of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and how he has thus far kept his paper thin majority on track.

The result is a bill that nobody loves but most can tolerate, stuffed with pork for Senators to tout back home and propped up by budgetary gimmicks. Despite an intense late campaign against the bill by Trump, 19 GOP Senators, including McConnell, supported it. “It’s a win for everybody–the Republicans, the Democrats, the White House,” says GOP lobbyist Liam Donovan. “Trump didn’t believe in the idea of a win-win. For him, you win when the other guy loses, so he can’t conceive of a piece of legislation that’s a win for Biden that isn’t inherently bad for Republicans. But that’s how government and legislating are supposed to work.”

Read the full piece here.

I recently sat down with Ben Weyl of POLITICO Magazine to give my take on what Congressional Democrats are in for as they seek to pass a(nother) multi-trillion dollar reconciliation package, and, somewhat cheekily, my advice for how they can pull it off. The billing:

In a wide-ranging conversation, Republican lobbyist Liam Donovan offers Democrats some friendly advice on how to avoid screwing up Biden’s agenda.

Here’s a taste:

Professionally, Liam Donovan is a lobbyist and former GOP political operative. But he’s also known as a keen, clear-eyed analyst of legislative maneuvering on Twitter (@lpdonovan), and he’s got some friendly advice for Democrats, if they’re willing to listen.

“The key for these guys is don’t lose the plot. You have to fight your battles with the proper perspective. You have to go in knowing that you’re not going to get all of what you want. There’s going to be a half loaf involved,” he says.

“Don’t put yourself in a position where you can’t save face at the end of the day, because that’s what the bottom line is. Everybody has to save face,” Donovan adds. “Give yourselves off-ramps, give yourselves opportunities to take the win. And I think it’s ridiculous coming from a Republican lobbyist, but I think that’s how you get it done.”

Read the full piece here, including “seven takeaways from our conversation on how Democrats got to this point and what they need to do next.”

I spoke to Sam Brodey of the Daily Beast about the bipartisan infrastructure bill, former President Trump’s opposition, and why that has seemed to matter more in the House than the Senate.

But House members, who represent smaller, more ideologically polarized constituencies who decide their fates every two years, are more vulnerable than senators to those kinds of pressures. Liam Donovan, a GOP strategist, explained that dynamic magnifies the apparent disparity in Trump influence that’s on display between the House and Senate.

“The House is a majoritarian institution, and both sides play their role accordingly,” said Donovan. “And the politics are reinforced by its structure—you’re always in cycle, answerable to a narrower constituency, and rarely have the opportunity to forge an independent brand you can fall back on.”

Read the full piece here.