Trump Looks for Challenger to Depose Mitch McConnell as Split Widens
WASHINGTON Mitch McConnells record-long reign as Senate Republican leader has lasted long enough for former President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump has spoken recently with senators and allies about trying to depose Mr. McConnell and whether any Republicans are interested in mounting a challenge, according to people familiar with the conversations. There is little appetite among Senate Republicans for such a plan, lawmakers and aides said, but the discussions risk driving a wedge deeper between the most influential figure in the Republican Party and its highest-ranking member in elected office.
Since failing to be re-elected, the former president has maintained high levels of support among conservative voters, and polls show he has convinced much of the party that the 2020 results were fraudulent. Mr. McConnell has said that President Biden won the election and that Mr. Trumps wild falsehoods about the outcome were responsible for the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. They have also split on policy this year. Mr. McConnell joined 18 fellow Senate Republicans in voting for a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, despite Mr. Trump saying the deal makes the Republicans look weak, foolish, and dumb.
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In a recent interview, Mr. Trump declined to discuss whether he was recruiting challengers for Mr. McConnell. The former president did say he wanted Senate Republicans to oust the Kentuckian from the leadership position he has held for almost 15 years. They ought to, Mr. Trump said. I think hes very bad for the Republican Party.
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Republican senators vote every two years on which members to elevate as leaders, and Mr. McConnells eighth term in the top spotthe longest-ever tenure for a Republican leaderdoesnt end until the next session of Congress in January 2023. The record for either party is held by Mike Mansfield of Montana, who was Democratic leader of the Senate for 16 years until he resigned in 1977. Mr. McConnell has held on to his position by maintaining a high level of satisfaction among Senate Republicans even as retiring members repeatedly cite the diminishing chances for legislative accomplishment as a reason for quitting. Political-action committees run by allies of Mr. McConnellincluding the Senate Leadership Fund, American Crossroads and various state-specific groupsspent $462.5 million in helping to elect Republicans in 2020. In the first six months of 2021, Mr. Trump stockpiled $102 million in political cash. He reported no donations to Republican campaigns during that time.
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The main disagreement has been over the style of candidate best suited to pick off seats from Democrats. Mr. Trump has leaned on personal relationships and loyalty tests for most of his endorsements. In contrast, Mr. McConnell has looked to Republicans who have been vetted, with a demonstrated ability to win in their states. In Georgia, Mr. Trump has backed Herschel Walker, a college football legend and close Trump family friend for a U.S. Senate seat. Republican strategists allied with Mr. McConnell privately worry that Mr. Walker might struggle to win over general-election voters because of allegations of domestic violence and business troubles, which he has denied. In Arizona, Mr. McConnells team and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have tried to recruit Gov. Doug Ducey to take on Sen. Mark Kelly, the incumbent Democrat. Mr. Ducey has drawn Mr. Trumps ire for not doing more to overturn Mr. Bidens victory in the state and has declined to run. The only primary so far featuring a direct Trump-McConnell showdown is in Alaska, where the former president has endorsed a bid from a former state agency head, Kelly Tshibaka, to unseat Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-looks-for-challenger-to-depose-mitch-mcconnell-as-split-widens-11632060002 (subscription)
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)than he did getting rid of Newsome. At least there maybe a margin of christofascists in KY to do it.
captain queeg
(10,039 posts)Might be something to be avoided. If the POS is still alive.
Bev54
(9,966 posts)brush
(53,480 posts)no_hypocrisy
(45,793 posts)Trump's "influence" will be greatly diminished.
lees1975
(3,727 posts)than many of the pundits and experts think it will be in 2022. It is, even now. It has no future, and he's going to see, when some of the Republicans he is targeting for replacement get back on the ballot, that he is not calling the shots. I devoutly hope that he sees that from the prison cell where he will be spending lots of time because of January 6th.
duforsure
(11,882 posts)Moscow Mitch will leave soon claiming health issues possibly, and resign, so the orange slob will claim he's forcing him out because he didn't serve him and his people. If the real republicans don't stand firm against him , they'll suffer greater losses going forward. I also don't think orange hitler will ever run, or be elected again. He's desperate to promote he has power still, but it's really about him grifting more money from them because he's going broke.