Posted on 11/04/2024 7:36:35 AM PST by Twotone
CNN last week revealed an excerpt from a new book in which Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) criticized both Donald Trump and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.). The headline said, “McConnell says ‘MAGA movement is completely wrong’ and Reagan ‘wouldn’t recognize’ Trump’s GOP.” With the election less than a week away, such attacks are not only divisive but harm the Republican Party’s chances of success.
Only a few hours before CNN published this article, McConnell gave this quote to a Fox News reporter: “I’m still a Traditional Republican... there are some on my side now who don’t sound that way. I'm going to be arguing more with them probably than the Democrats.”
McConnell’s statements reflect a mindset that prioritizes defending the status quo of the Republican establishment over reflecting the will of Republican voters. McConnell has taken this approach in both campaigns and in managing the Senate floor.
On the campaign side, McConnell has not only publicly criticized the party’s presidential standard-bearer two weeks out from an election, but he has also withheld support from high-profile Republican senators such as Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rick Scott. This undermines party cohesion and damages our prospects in close races.
Cruz and Scott have both famously been critical of McConnell’s approach to managing the Senate. The McConnell-aligned super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, has to date not spent any money defending Cruz or Scott in their electoral battles to hold their Senate seats and help Republicans win a majority in the Senate.
A leaked internal memo from SLF, first obtained by Politico, reveals that the super PAC is aware of the struggles faced by Cruz in Texas. “We still have a lot of work to do to maximize our gains in this critical Senate election,” the memo states. “We need to add media markets and expand into the final week in all our target states. We also have to guard our flanks.”
The memo adds: “In Texas, Colin Allred has crept up on Ted Cruz by heavily outspending him for weeks.”
While claiming an intent to “guard our flanks,” the McConnell-aligned super PAC has spent precisely zero dollars to help Cruz. Likewise, SLF spent nothing to defend Cruz in his similarly close 2018 race.
McConnell’s approach exemplifies the mindset of our current leadership — a mindset that prioritizes establishment republicanism over conservative victory.
In managing the senate floor when he was majority leader, McConnell used a procedural power of the floor leader known as “filling the tree” to block both Democratic and Republican senators from offering amendments. He told us time and again that this was important for protecting senators in tight re-elections from taking tough votes.
Both McConnell’s actions regarding campaigns and his ironfisted rule of the Senate demonstrate a drive to shape the Republican Senate conference and the party to reflect his vision of republicanism. Rather than having an unbending view that all Senators are equal and the priorities they represent for their constituents deserve debate, McConnell has taken the approach that he knows better than his Republican Senate colleagues and better than Republican voters. Strong leadership means operating with the support of — rather than against — the Republican conference and the people who elected us.
With McConnell stepping down as GOP Senate leader, it’s a critical time to reflect on what type of leadership will best serve the party going forward. A Senate GOP leader’s primary role is to support colleagues, not sabotage them. Such unity directly impacts voter trust, morale, and the party’s effectiveness in delivering results.
I make this argument not to kick Senator McConnell on his way out the door but rather to make the case that Republican Senate leadership must take a new approach. As we look to the future, candidates vying to replace McConnell must offer clarity on how they will lead and support all GOP candidates, regardless of personal differences.
The next Republican leader must uphold a view that all senators are equal, which is rooted in respect for the will of voters. This commitment to equality is essential to strengthen and restore the United States Senate to the world’s greatest deliberative body that it once was. We need leaders who will prioritize the interests of all Republicans and foster a spirit of support and solidarity. With this approach, we can move toward a stronger, more cohesive Senate GOP that’s ready to lead and win.
The problem is those he's bringing in are voters McConnell and the Republican establishment loath.
You are quite correct. I've written multiple times around here that starting in 1976 when he challenged Gerry Ford for the nomination, the GOPe hated Reagan and hated his supporters, and it hasn't abated one iota since whether it's been the Tea Party or now Trump and MAGA.
The GOPe believe that Reagan literally and figuratively ruined their party. They had safe seats and all the pork and hookers they could want in exchange for being the loyal and acquiescent opposition, and Ronaldus Magnus wrecked all that by inspiring Republicans to win instead of just going along to get along. It's about the only thing that they GOPe have been right about.
Trump and Reagan both put citizens, the base and the country first.
The last thing the establishment of either party wants is representative republic where the politicians are serving the people.
He's sticking around to undermine Trump if Trump wins the election.
The RINOs are irrelevant now. See Liz Cheney, she has to grovel to Democrats now.
And then they imposed the “poison pill” that was George Bush on Reagan.
Yes, they favored the likes of the genteel George Bush, whom they stuck him with as the designated RINO VP. They considered Reagan a course upstart without without the experience or temperament to be President. All the same things with Trump. But back then they were far less willing to openly thwart him and support a stealth coup by joining with the dems behind the scenes to undermine him, block him, and investigate him relentlessly like they did with Trump.
Poison for sure.
Understood...
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So any ideas on who will be the next GOP Senate Laader?
I'd prefer Ted Cruz or Rand Paul.
My guess, though, is that it will be Rick Scott.
“I’m still a Traditional Republican”
Mc Connell is only a traditional Republican is traditional Republicans are Rinos and part of the deep state because that is what he is. He has done extensive damage to the Republican Party and was a road block to Trump when he was president. He is also why we don’t have real conservatives on the Supreme Court — with the exception of two.
Mitch McConnell good old boy club president.
Let the deals happen $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
It’s why they want to dump him ASAP.
MAGA movement is completely wrong
We can always hope that the Grim Reaper finally pays Mitch a visit.
You know, it’s a real shame he turned down the offer from r a ride home from his sister in law.
He is still a traditional Republican so long as one recognizes the Republican tradition of being the Stupid Party. He certainly personifies that tradition.
He loathes something or he is loath to do something.
It will likely be a Turtle understudy.
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