Prominent liberals this year have mostly refrained from theatrics on the Senate floor against legislative compromises or Trump nominees — grandstanding that might have won kudos from the base but put red-state Democrats on the spot. But with the election over, some senators already worry that the chamber will get bogged down as it becomes a proving ground for the 2020 Democratic primary.

“It has the potential to do that. There could be 13 or 14 senators running,” said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), an estimate on the high end but not outside the realm of possibility. “We’ve got a lot of work to do and that” — the jockeying among senators trying to score points — “distracts” from it, he said.

Senators and aides in both parties expect the posturing to accelerate rapidly as the 2020 race shapes up. The Democratic field could swell to nine or more senators, depending on how the next few months go. Warren, Sanders, Kamala Harris, Merkley, Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker are all seriously weighing runs. Sherrod Brown and Chris Murphy could receive some buzz, though both have thus far shied away from it. And the significance of Amy Klobuchar’s frequent visits to Iowa isn’t lost on anyone.