Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) ended efforts to oust Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) from his leadership post in the Senate on Friday by dismissing Republican senators’ request to delay Wednesday’s leadership vote.
Barrasso, one of Mitch McConnell’s top lieutenants, addressed a letter to GOP senators on Friday, dismissing their request to postpone Wednesday’s leadership vote until all Senate votes were tabulated.
“We are excited to meet with our returning and new members next week. I anticipate a broad and open discussion on our next steps commencing at Tuesday’s policy lunch,” he said in a letter obtained by CNN. “We’ll meet again on Wednesday for our planned election conference.”
“I appreciate the concerns and arguments raised in the letter sent by Senators Rick Scott, Lee, and Johnson,” wrote Barrasso, who oversees leadership elections.
Barrasso’s letter came after Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Rick Scott (R-FL) have all stated that leadership elections should be postponed until candidates’ commitment to conservative values is tested.
In a second letter shared Friday among Republican senators, the senators insisted on “serious talks” about why the red wave failed to materialize.
“We are all unhappy that a Red Wave did not materialize, and there are several reasons why,” the letter says. “Within our conference, we need to have meaningful debates about why and what we can do to strengthen our chances in 2024.”
Hawley has been especially vocal in his opposition to McConnell’s reelection as Republican leader. “It’s really difficult to persuade people, particularly independent-minded people who don’t trust the process much, to vote for you if you have nothing affirmative to say and provide,” Hawley told said.
“I blame the Washington elite for setting the tone for these races,” he continued. “They didn’t provide that type of vision.”
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans will vote on McConnell’s nomination as leader. Only 8% of voters think positively of McConnell, while 80% think negatively of him.
Under McConnell’s leadership, the national debt has risen to more than $20 trillion, illegal immigration has continued, real wages for American workers have stagnated, Obamacare was implemented in 2010, big banks were bailed out in 2008, and social media platforms have silenced individuals without consequence. Dr. Anthony Fauci is still not being held responsible for lying to Congress twice.
The spineless republicans will keep turtle neck Mitch in power. Worthless idiot!
I’m from ky and I am a conservative, in 2024 mitch will have to run for reelection and I will vote for whoever runs against him republican in the primary and if he wins I will vote Democrat if that is what it takes to remove him because the republican party won’t. It’s a shame on we the people that he has put on us while he fattens his pockets. There I said it.