Joe Biden’s cabinet picks are quickly running into the political reality of a narrowly controlled Senate that will leave the new Democratic administration dependent on rival Republicans to get anything done.

Under leader Mitch McConnell, Republican senators will hold great sway in confirming Biden’s nominees regardless of which party holds the majority after runoff elections in January. Biden will have little room to maneuver and few votes to spare.

As Biden rolled out his economic team on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), he asked the Senate to give his nominees prompt review, saying they “deserve and expect nothing less”.

That seems unlikely.

Republicans are swiftly signalling they are eager to set the terms of debate and exact a price for their votes.

Biden's choice for budget chief, Neera Tanden, was instantly rejected as “radioactive”. His secretary of state nominee, Antony Blinken, quickly ran into resistance from GOP senators blasting his record amid their own potential 2024 White House campaigns.

AP