Harris sets record for most tiebreaking votes in recent history

Vice President Harris set a new record on Wednesday for breaking the most Senate tie votes in recent history.  

On Wednesday, Harris cast her 14th and 15th tiebreaking votes, respectively, to help Senate Democrats confirm Rachael Rollins to be the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts.

“Every time I vote, we win,” Harris joked to NBC News on Wednesday. 

VP Harris just broke her 14th & 15th 50-50 ties in the Senate, which is more than the 13 ties VP Pence broke during his four years in office.

“Every time I vote, we win,” Harris told NBC News today with a laugh.

She’s on pace to break the record: https://t.co/K3t2kdvDBQ

— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) December 8, 2021

Harris’s uptick in tiebreaking votes comes as Democrats navigate an evenly split 50-50 Senate. 

Harris broke her first tie vote on Feb. 5, and while most have been related to nominations, Democrats are also expected to need her to break ties during the floor debate on President Biden’s climate and spending bill. 

Harris’s votes on Wednesday takes her past the 13 tie votes cast by former President Trump’s vice president, Mike Pence. 

Harris has cast more tie votes than any other vice president in modern history. 

The overall tiebreaking record is held by John Calhoun, who was vice president under Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.

The only other vice presidents who have broken more ties than Harris are John Quincy Adams, who broke 29 ties; George M. Dallas, who broke 19; and Schuyler Colfax, who cast 8 tiebreaking votes.