U.S. Senate Republicans choose a Mitch McConnell acolyte to replace him
Mitch McConnell’s 18-year run as Senate Republican leader careened toward its end as the GOP caucus on Wednesday selected a longtime protege of the Kentuckian to guide the incoming majority through President-elect Donald Trump’s second term.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, a McConnell deputy and close ally, won the support of his colleagues over Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. The secret ballot vote was 29-24.
Rick Scott of Florida, a favorite of Trump allies who unsuccessfully challenged McConnell for the post two years ago, secured only 13 votes during the first voting round, including that of Kentucky’s junior U.S. Senator, Rand Paul.
Thune’s ascension amounts to a final victory for McConnell, who did not publicly reveal his preference but heaped praise on both Thune and Cornyn, two men who are seen as Senate institutionalists in the McConnell mold.
“Whichever one wins will do an outstanding job,” McConnell told The Herald-Leader late last month.
A late — largely online — campaign by Trump allies to boost Scott’s chances failed to resonate with Senate Republicans, who are loathe to take direction from outside voices. Trump, who viciously castigated McConnell after losing his first reelection, did not publicly endorse a contender.
But Paul, who has a prickly relationship with McConnell, supported Scott, citing the mounting deficit as a reason to elevate an insurgent candidate.
Scott also had the backing of Tucker Carlson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk.
But during an American Enterprise Institute event on Tuesday, McConnell swiped at the horde of MAGA stars trying to tilt the race in Scott’s favor.
“That’s a waste of their time,” he told reporters.
McConnell’s insight proved prophetic, even as the result outraged many on the right who sought a dramatic change at the top of the upper chamber.
“He might be worse than Mitch McConnell. So disgusted,” lamented podcaster Joey Mannarino.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson called Thune “a direct continuation of McConnell’s power.”
Newsmax host Todd Starnes slammed Thune as a “Never Trump RINO who is basically a less-wrinkled version of Mitch McConnell.”
A Scott upset victory would’ve been framed as a strong repudiation of the McConnell era.
Thune’s victory may mean that McConnell, who has two years left in his term, will still wield influence as a quiet, private adviser on legislative strategy and how to deal with Trump and his new White House.
“It’s still Mitch McConnell’s world and we just live in it,” quipped Eric Michael Garcia, an MSNBC columnist.
McConnell, who has said his chief focus as a rank-and-file member will be foreign policy and national security, will be remembered for protecting the filibuster — the 60-vote threshold necessary to pass most Senate legislation — and the successful confirmation of three Supreme Court justices during Trump’s first term.
“Democrats hate me because of the Supreme Court, and the Republicans — there is a certain president who didn’t care for me, either,” McConnell said during the American Enterprise Institute event on Tuesday.
But with this transfer of power, it will be difficult for Trump loyalists or the president-elect to continue to blame McConnell for their legislative challenges.
Even as he may lean on McConnell for counsel, the 63-year-old Thune is likely to break with McConnell on some procedures and even policy decisions, especially given the mandate the incoming Trump White House believes it holds following its sweeping national victory last week.
It’s hard to imagine how McConnell would’ve survived another Trump term given how his harsh private personal criticism of Trump and his actions have become public through several books.
McConnell was also saddled with a nagging negative public persona, among Democrats and Republicans alike.
He will vacate his leadership post as a historic figure and having a hand in helping the GOP establish another fresh majority, but with a favorability rating of just 21%, the lowest of the four congressional leaders.
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 1:27 PM.
