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Utah Senator Orrin Hatch almost immediately gave a “hear hear” to the announcement. Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was okay with no recess, but wanted the Senate to handle…health care? Look if the Senate wants to completely get rid of Obamacare, the exchanges, the 1948 NRLB ruling which said health benefits had to be part of union negotiations, and other health care-related requirements of doctors and hospitals, I’d be cool with it. Of course, that’s not what Schumer and company are aiming for so I’ll be good with getting justice reform i.e. FIRST STEP Act passed during this time period, if they don’t get to it beforehand.

There are potential campaign factors in the cancelation too, as noted by POLITICO.

I’ll go with a hard “maybe” on whether it was a key factor in McConnell’s decision – although I’ve no doubt it was a factor. McConnell did cancel part of last year’s August recess, so it’s not like he’s breaking his own precedent with this decision. The Montana seat is considered a “lean Democrat” by Real Clear Politics and it depends on who the GOP puts up as Tester’s opponent in November (the primary is today). Trump does have a pretty high approval rating in Montana, but he also had a high approval rating in Alabama and we saw how that Senate election went last year, so candidates mean everything. The interesting factor in the Montana race is the Green Party and the fact Montana Democrats are trying to get them thrown off the ballot. The Greens see this as Democrats running scared about Tester’s potential future in politics, while also noting Bernie Sanders won the 2016 Democratic primary in Montana by 10K votes. It’s an interesting wrinkle to the entire thing, but I’m still going with “maybe” unless proven otherwise.