Can Democrats Deliver 60 Votes?

Sen. Jon Curtis (R-Utah) told reporters he will vote for cloture on the CLARITY Act, allowing debate to proceed, but remains opposed to the underlying bill as written. “I will vote to proceed, but right now, I’m a no on passage,” Curtis said. Curtis had previously flagged concerns in August over the bill’s potential impact on community bank deposits, a worry that continues to shape his opposition to final passage.

Pro-XRP attorney John Deaton said he predicted two months ago that Democrats would find a reason not to vote for the CLARITY Act, even if Trump agreed to their demands, arguing the real motive is denying Trump any legislative win before the midterms. Deaton, who has said he isn’t a Trump supporter, argued Washington politicians prioritize partisan control above all else. “They hate Trump and despise him being reelected so much that if America was burning to the ground, and it was Trump who held the water hose to put the fire out, they’d turn off the water,” he said.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said he’s optimistic the CLARITY Act will advance tomorrow, framing the vote as a test of who supports American leadership in finance. “I’m pretty optimistic that we’re going to get more than 60 votes tomorrow,” Armstrong said, citing thousands of hours of bipartisan work behind the bill. Armstrong called the vote “a massive moment,” saying it will show who backs building the future of the financial system under U.S. regulatory oversight, and who doesn’t. “There’s no do-overs,” he added.

The White House is making a final push to convince Senate Republicans to advance the CLARITY Act today, countering banking industry concerns over stablecoins. Officials plan to launch an interactive tool letting users “set the parameters, run the scenarios, and see for themselves” why the Council of Economic Advisers found no meaningful link between stablecoin growth and community bank deposit flight. The site will also include an FAQ addressing banks’ critiques. “The data simply does not support the deposit flight narrative that DC bank lobbyists are pushing,” said White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt.

A group of Senate Democrats is expected to meet to discuss strategy and coordinate a counterproposal to the CLARITY Act text Republicans released last night, according to Eleanor Terrett, despite the GOP calling it their “last, best and final” offer. Industry sources say the counterproposal is expected to address most, if not all, of the targeted changes Republicans made. It remains unclear whether Republicans will offer further concessions ahead of tomorrow’s vote, or tell Democrats they must vote to advance the bill first if they want additional changes.

The Trump administration is making a final push for Senate Republicans to back the CLARITY Act ahead of Tuesday’s procedural vote, according to Semafor. The White House Council of Economic Advisers plans to release an interactive tool letting users model stablecoin growth against community-bank deposits, arguing current data doesn’t support claims of large-scale deposit flight. Some Republican senators remain wary of stablecoin rewards, while some Democrats say the latest ethics restrictions on Trump don’t go far enough.