WASHINGTON — Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, will force Democrats on Tuesday to take a stand on the Green New Deal and its ambitious goal of conquering climate change — after a long windup designed to drive a wedge between cautious Democratic senators and the liberal activists pushing for climate action.

The resolution, which pairs quick action to throttle carbon emissions and liberal job-creation programs, will fail at the hands of the Republican majority. Many, if not most, Democrats plan to vote present, arguing that the resolution up for a vote is not anything like a fully formed piece of legislation and has not even received a hearing. Stunt votes in the past by both parties have had little political impact.

But Republicans say putting the Democrats on record is significant, and it is just the beginning: They intend to keep the Green New Deal in the spotlight as long as possible to paint Democrats as socialists, out of touch with American values.

“It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” said Senator James M. Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican who once brought a snowball to the Senate floor in an effort to disprove climate change.