Week Ahead: The Stakes Are About To Get Really High For Republicans

It's back to work this week for President Trump and Republicans after Thanksgiving — and they have a lot to do.

Remember when Trump made that deal with "Chuck and Nancy" to avoid a shutdown and raise the debt ceiling? Well, the deadline to und the government is again fast approaching. Trump and congressional leaders have less than two weeks — until next Friday, Dec. 8 — to get it done. And this week begins a big push.

The four congressional leaders — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi — head to the White House Tuesday to talk about that deadline and end-of-year legislation. Trump also heads to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to join the GOP policy lunch to talk taxes. Republicans are trying to get taxes done by Christmas.

That means there's a lot to do in a very short time, and the stakes couldn't be higher for Republicans. Just four days after the shutdown deadline, it's the Alabama Senate race. And the Democrat there, Doug Jones, has at least a 50-50 chance of winning.

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