News McConnell backed $600 stimulus checks after fears for Georgia election

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's decision to support $600 payments to Americans as part of a new round of federal coronavirus relief was motivated by fears for the Senate runoff elections in Georgia, according to The New York Times.

Two sources told the paper McConnell's U-turn on supporting the one-off payments came after hearing that Republican opposition to more stimulus checks was hurting the campaigns in Georgia.

Times sources said McConnell warned fellow GOP lawmakers that Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue were "getting hammered" over the payments.

The Times reported that in a private phone conversation Wednesday, McConnell said backing another round of direct payments to Americans could help.

Negotiations on the relief package are going down to the wire, with a Friday deadline looming to avert a government shutdown. This could be extended.

Negotiators had hoped to strike a deal after two in-person meetings on Wednesday, but they left that night without a final agreement.

McConnell backed stimulus checks after fears for Georgia election: NYT

In a private call, McConnell reportedly said the lack of direct stimulus payments to Americans was affecting GOP Senate campaigns in Georgia.

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