Gov. Jay Inslee in Austin, Texas, calls on rivals to scrap filibuster

AUSTIN, Texas –
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says he’s challenging the U.S. senators in the 2020 Democratic presidential field to abolish the filibuster in their chamber.
The presidential hopeful on Sunday began a second day of Democratic candidates dropping in on the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. Inslee joined the race this month and is running a campaign that’s almost singularly focused on climate change.
But Inslee said nothing will happen on the issue unless the Senate gets rid of the filibuster. That’s a procedural tool that requires a supermajority of 60 votes out of 100 to pass many big items, rather than a simple majority.
Six Democratic senators are running for president. Inslee called on them to “get religion and realize that the filibuster” is stopping them on major policy.