GOP strategists seemed to understand the buzzkilling buzzsaw they were marching toward with a grim sense of inevitability. Even then, there was still no guarantee the House would accept the Senate’s rewrite of their work.

Majority Leader John Thune’s (R-SD) budding relationship with President Donald Trump survived its biggest stress test on Tuesday as Republicans passed their marquee tax bill through the Senate. In an interview with the Washington Examiner,

Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed optimism that his House Republican counterparts will be able to muster the votes needed to send the "one, big, beautiful bill" to President Trump for his signature.