Sen. Mitch McConnell will step down as Republican leader in November
New York PostFeb 28
McConnell to Step Down as Senate Minority Leader in November
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The Facts
Republican US Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Wednesday he will step down as Senate minority leader in November, though he will still serve out his current term through January 2027.
McConnell, 82, is the longest-serving Senate party leader in US history, having assumed the role in 2007. In recent years he has endured health issues, including suffering a fall and separately freezing during press conferences.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The GOP is losing a leader who truly understood how to get things done in Washington with bipartisan stability, unlike some up-and-coming Republicans, who are moving the party away from Ronald Reagan's brand of conservatism to Trump's polarizing philosophies. He bravely called out Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, but that was probably the beginning of the end of McConnell's institutionalist hold on a leadership position.
Establishment-critical narrative
McConnell has tended to serve the interests of neoliberal, corporate elites rather than the American people. Too often he has worked against the political values of his constituents and forged unpopular alliances in the pursuit of donor funds. Rather than only giving up his leadership position, McConnell should immediately retire from the Senate. It's time for more populist voices to rise in Congressional leadership.
Nerd narrative
There's a 75% chance that the GOP will control the Senate after the 2024 election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
