More than a few prominent Republicans are pointing fingers at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) leadership — or lack of — for the party’s lost chance to flip the Senate to the GOP.
Former President Donald Trump took to social media to blast McConnell for “spending vast amounts of money” on Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski when Kelly Tshibaka “is FAR better.”
Trump declared that “he is the WORST!”
The former president is far from the only Republican calling for a major change at the top of the party’s Senate leadership. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) was clear in his stand that the party needs “new leadership in that position.”
Hawley flatly declared he will not support McConnell in another bid for Senate Majority Leader, lumping the senator in with “Washington Republicanism.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined the chorus after his landslide victory in the Sunshine State. He declared that the Senate GOP leadership decision needs to be postponed until after the Georgia runoff.
Which is why McConnell must go. He represents yesterday. As for Trump, time will tell whether he’s still viable. https://t.co/nMPNCHZKtm
— don Esteban (@realdonesteban) November 13, 2022
Further, Rubio posted on Twitter that it is key that “those who want to lead us are genuinely committed” to the GOP’s fight for the priorities and values of working Americans.
Some analysts speculate that Rubio would be a powerful opponent to McConnell for Majority Leader.
Another voice for holding off on the leadership vote is the newly reelected Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who reportedly wrote a letter with Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Rick Scott (R-FL) urging a delay in the decision.
Lee, who withstood independent challenger Evan McMullin, said there must be “serious discussions within our conference” over increasing Republican odds of success in 2024.
For his part, Johnson strongly asserted in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the GOP needs to choose leaders committed to budgets that flow from a “fiscally conservative appropriation process.” He also referenced McConnell’s support for the Democrats’ so-called “infrastructure bill.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) added that a “specific plan for the next two years” should be a requirement from anyone seeking to be Majority Leader.
Far too many questionable calls were made in the runup to the November midterms for the GOP to simply rubber-stamp a return to the same leadership. The race for 2024 begins now, and a clear strategy for Republican victory has to start at the top.
