This week, Mitch McConnell stunned the Washington establishment by announcing he was resigning from leadership. The current Republican leader in the Senate had received growing calls to step down, over concerns about his age and ability.
Now, with him leaving this coveted role, speculation is growing about the future of the GOP in the Senate.
Will the next leader align himself with the MAGA base, which represents most voters? Or will he continue the march of compromise, bowing to the D.C. elite and Democrats like Joe Biden?
From Fox News:
Among those who are being floated as a potential replacement for the leadership position are senators John Cornyn, R-Texas; John Thune, R-S.D.; John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Rick Scott R-Fla.; Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; and Steve Daines, R-Mont…Speculation about Thune, Barrasso or Daines taking over as leader stems from their current roles in GOP leadership. They serve as Republican whip, Senate Republican Conference chairman and National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, respectively.
The pundits are already talking about who will take McConnell’s place, now that he is stepping down as GOP leader in the Senate. McConnell was successful during Trump’s administration in fast-tracking judicial appointments.
Beyond that, however, he is typically considered a “RINO” by many voters. He sided with Biden in 2020 and even championed the controversial border bill, which he later told Republicans to vote against.
Critics are remembering McConnell’s “legacy” as burdening future Americans with tremendous financial debt.
From Just the News:
McConnell has served as GOP leader since 2007 after serving as party whip since 2003, at which time the U.S. national debt stood at $6.783 trillion. As of Wednesday, that figure stood at $34.405 trillion.
Some of the possible replacements for the job are men who are already serving in high positions within the party. However, they are hardly household names, and it is unclear if they will champion a possible second Trump presidency.
Whoever does take over McConnell’s job will have the difficult work of trying to regain a Republican majority. McConnell seemingly tanked the party’s chances during recent elections, refusing to provide funds for some candidates while offering advice that seemed to hamper Republicans’ success.
Key Takeaways:
- Mitch McConnell announced he was stepping down as Republican leader in the Senate.
- Several names are floating as his replacement, including John Thune, John Barrasso, and Steve Daines.
- McConnell is considered a RINO by many voters and helped create $35 trillion in debt.
Source: Fox News, Just the News
