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.”
The next Republican leader must uphold a view that all senators are equal, which is rooted in respect for the will of voters.
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.
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