Tim Kaine, Straddling Dual Roles, Calls for Congress to Provide Zika Funding

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/us/politics/tim-kaine-zika-funding.html

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Tim Kaine’s dual jobs, Democratic senator from Virginia and vice-presidential candidate, collided on Tuesday during a visit to Florida, when he called on Republicans to bring the Senate back into session to deal with the Zika threat given the outbreak in the state’s south.

“Congress should not be in recess when Zika is advancing,” Mr. Kaine told a crowd in Daytona Beach, urging quick approval of $1.1 billion in health funding that has been the subject of a fierce and lengthy partisan fight.

That brought a sharp retort from Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and majority leader.

“Oh, he’s going to drop his filibuster?” Mr. Stewart asked, referring to the refusal by Senate Democrats to take up a House-passed Zika measure that includes what they see as “poison pills,” including restrictions on use of the money by Planned Parenthood.

“We would love for them to end that filibuster and pass the bill, but it doesn’t sound like they’re prepared to do that,” Mr. Stewart added.

Despite the growing threat in South Florida, there seems to be little chance Congress would return before Sept. 5 to take up the measure. But Zika funding will no doubt remain an issue invoked by both sides this month. At the same time, Mr. Kaine’s new role could have implications for his relationships in the Senate, where he is held in high regard by members of both parties for his seriousness and his even temperament.

As the vice-presidential nominee, he will be needed as a partisan advocate on behalf of Hillary Clinton, leveling attacks at Republicans for their management of Congress on topics such as Zika. Republicans might end up rethinking their “nice guy” view of Mr. Kaine.