Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti said that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) is looking for a "do-over" on impeachment because the top Senate Democrat does not find the House Democrats' case persuasive enough.
"What the Senate minority leader clearly wants is a do-over," Continetti said during an appearance on Fox News's Special Report on Tuesday. "He acknowledged in his letter to McConnell that the House case is unpersuasive. It certainly hasn't affected public opinion definitively for impeachment."
On Sunday, Schumer sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) to negotiate groundrules for the Senate impeachment trial. Continetti said the letter indicates that Schumer prefers a different approach to an up-or-down vote on the findings from his partymates' inquiry in the House.
"Reopen the case by getting as few as three Republican senators to flip over on questions of rules. And then reopen the case by introducing witnesses, new evidence that might come to light," Continetti said in describing the Democratic minority leader's strategy.
Recent polling indicates that public support for impeachment is underwater, with more respondents opposing the president's ouster than supporting it.
The House is set to vote Wednesday on two articles of impeachment against President Trump. House Democrats are expecting four to six of their members to vote against the articles.
Continetti added that there is little margin for error for Republicans in the Senate. Only three Republican senators are needed to vote for new impeachment rules, as the rules can be changed by a simple majority.
"The danger for McConnell is this possibility of Republican defection. McConnell has little room for error. So far, I think he's managing the process well," Continetti said.