In a vote along party lines, Senate Republicans blocked Democrat’s election overhaul bill. The 50-50 vote stopped the so-called For The People Act was blocked by filibuster which Democrats are also seeking to eliminate to help move their radical agenda through Congress with little-to-no barriers.

The Hill reports:

Republicans railed against the bill ahead of Tuesday’s vote, arguing it was a partisan takeover of federal elections and exactly the sort of legislation meant to be blocked by the Senate’s filibuster.

“The Senate is no obstacle to voting laws done the right way. … The Senate is only an obstacle when the policy is flawed and the process is rotten. And that’s exactly why this body exists,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said.

But Democrats have been holding a frenzy of talks as they’ve tried to shore up support from within their own ranks. Hours before the vote, centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced he’d reached a deal with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to back the measure.

That ensured that Democrats would be united on the measure and that they could argue it was only Republicans who were voting against even opening a debate on the issue.

The outcome of the bill was never in question but Manchin’s last-minute flip-flopping gave the Democrats a slight edge.