Senate Republicans will be debating among themselves in the week ahead whether to drag out this work period by voting against adjournment.

Adjournment votes are often used by the minority party in the House as a way to let off steam, but that is a less common tactic in the Senate, where under normal conditions, routine business is handled by unanimous consent.

“We have not had that conversation in our conference, but I personally would be of the view that we should wait to adjourn — that we should complete our work on energy first,” Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said Saturday.

“It’s not up to us,” Kyl said. “If the Democrats want to override us and adjourn, they have that capability.”

On Friday, House Minority Leader John A, Boehner, R-Ohio, sent a letter urging House Republicans to vote against adjourning for the planned recess unless Democratic leaders agree to bring up their energy proposal (HR 6566), which would increase drilling off U.S. coasts and in Alaska.

Senate Republicans, in town for a rare Saturday session, were not ready to say with certainty whether they would adopt the same strategy.

Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada contends that the GOP has failed to take him up on an offer to hold a vote on GOP drilling proposals, and the Senate has remained stalled in its consideration of a bill (S 3268) to curb excessive speculation the energy markets.

GOP Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said the speculation bill was “the wrong approach to fixing $4 gasoline prices.”

“The Senate shouldn’t adjourn until we have a full debate on finding more American energy and using less,” Alexander added.

With Republicans defending 23 of the 35 Senate seats in play this November, including those held by McConnell, Alexander and Conference Vice Chairman John Cornyn of Texas, Republicans have a particular incentive to release their members and let the five-week break begin.

“For the candidates, we want them to get home as often as possible,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Ensign, R-Nev.

“It’s always better to be home campaigning — town to town and person to person,” said John E. Sununu, R-N.H, who faces a tough challenge from former Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen. “But I don’t have the power to schedule votes. So I am here when I am voting, and I’m at home when I’m not.”

Another Republican with a tough race, Minnesota’s Norm Coleman, said he did not mind being in session longer if it meant a better chance of passing legislation to address high gas prices.

“I would always rather be campaigning. However, we do have to get to work on the gas prices,” Coleman said. “That’s what’s on my constituents’ minds. So being here, if we can actually get something done, would be a wonderful thing.”

Coleman was among the 32 senators who missed a Friday evening vote on July 11 to limit debate on a bill (S 2731) to authorize funds to combat AIDS and other diseases around the world. But he was present for Saturday’s votes.

Sen. Susan Collins, who is considered to hold a slight edge against challenger Rep. Tom Allen, echoed Coleman’s sentiments.

“I’d always rather be in Maine, but I think it’s really important that we’re here working on the energy crisis, and I personally think that we should not break for the August recess prior to passing a comprehensive energy policy for this country,” she said.

“The people of Maine understand and expect that I should be here working on an energy policy rather than campaigning.”

For most of this year, the Senate has not held votes on Fridays or Mondays, allowing senators up for re-election, particularly those from far-off states, ample time to travel home and back.

West Coast Republican Gordon H. Smith said this weekend’s votes forced him to cancel plans to return to Oregon but that he wasn’t annoyed at being stuck in Washington.

“It comes with the territory,” Smith said. “It’s the Senate.”