Democrats seek Republican support to roll back tariffs on Canada

Democrats are looking to enlist Republican support to overturn U.S. tariffs on Canada following Tuesday's midterm elections, which brought defeats for several Republican candidates who had sought exemptions or distanced themselves from President Donald Trump's trade policies. The Wall Street Journal reported that Democrats believe opposition to the tariffs could help them assemble enough votes to overcome a presidential veto.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, told the Journal on Wednesday that support for repealing tariffs on Canadian products was overwhelming. According to the newspaper, overriding a veto would likely require roughly 30 to 35 Republican votes in the House and 11 to 13 in the Senate, depending on outstanding election results. The incoming Congress takes office on Jan. 3, two days after scheduled 50 per cent tariffs on all Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel.

In Michigan, Republican Mike Rogers shifted from praising the tariffs to calling for their removal during his Senate campaign. In July, he had also urged additional charges against Canada over wildfire smoke entering the United States. An advertisement posted four weeks ago showed him drinking a Labatt Blue and describing Canada as a friend. Rogers lost to Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who said Thursday that ending the trade conflict would be a legislative priority.

Voters' concerns extended beyond individual border states. CNN reported that Tuesday's exit polls showed two-thirds of voters believed tariffs had damaged both the national economy and their local economies. Tariffs and the Iran war were widely viewed as contributing to higher prices. Rural communities faced increased diesel and fertilizer costs, with one industry analysis finding that all eight major fertilizers used by American farmers were more expensive than a year earlier.

Republican appeals for targeted relief did not prevent losses in Maine and Kansas. Maine Sen. Susan Collins persuaded Trump to remove road salt tariffs after warning of higher municipal costs and possible property tax increases. Trump subsequently lifted tariffs covering about $5.1 billion US in goods, replacing them with tariffs on other products worth roughly half as much. Collins nevertheless lost to Troy Jackson. Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall also lost after persuading Trump to abandon actions against Bombardier, the Montreal-based company that builds jets in Wichita.

Several incoming Democratic senators promised to pursue tariff changes. Iowa's Josh Turek pledged to fight them, as did Ohio's Sherrod Brown, who is known for opposing NAFTA. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico repeatedly linked tariffs to higher consumer prices during his successful campaign.

Wyden, who is expected to chair the Senate Finance Committee, has long clashed with Canada over softwood lumber but has opposed all of Trump's tariffs on the country. He says Democrats intend to restore congressional control over trade policy and reverse tariffs imposed through emergency authorities.