Senator Mitch McConnell is stepping down as Senate Republican Leader. The senior senator from Kentucky has served in the Senate since the days of Ronald Reagan. His replacement will determine the direction of Republicans in the Senate for years to come.
McConnell delivered a lovely and humble address to the Senate announcing that he will step down in November. However, he is remaining in the Senate seat he has held for decades.
As I said on the Senate floor, one of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on. It’s been the honor of my life to serve as Republican leader. https://t.co/SKU9OrtcDW
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) February 28, 2024
He is one of a kind, a legend. Like his politics or not, he is responsible for the conservative majority in the Supreme Court and other courts across the country. He is a master at the rules of the Senate and procedures. Whoever replaces him has a lot of homework to do. Do you quietly thank McConnell every time you hear Attorney General Merrick Garland speak or issue a statement? You should. McConnell saved the Supreme Court from progressive control and all its madness.
There are many potential successors and all would bring different skills and talent to the job. The top three candidates are known as the Three Johns - Senators John Cornyn (TX), John Thune (SD), and John Barrasso (WY). McConnell is stepping down at the age of 82. The Three Johns are not exactly spring chickens. Thune is the youngest of the three at 63. Cornyn is 72, and Barrasso is 71.
All three of the Johns are loyal soldiers to McConnell. John Thune is said to be the closest to McConnell. John Cornyn is a traditional Republican who is often criticized for not being more like a member of the House Freedom Caucus. Cornyn knows the Constitution and is a former associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court, and Texas Attorney General. John Barrasso is a physician and solid conservative. None of them are given to outbursts or putting up with nonsense. I think any of them would be good. They have all been in leadership positions.
McConnell's successor has to be a good fundraiser and savvy about which senate races should receive financial support. The National Republican Senate Committee works to elect Republicans to that body. It helps elect Republican incumbents and challengers through fundraising.
Others may potentially succeed McConnell. Senator Rick Scott (FL) tried to oust McConnell in 2022 and failed miserably. He is 71. He is a frequent critic of McConnell. Does Scott still want the gig? He's suddenly playing coy. He said it is a time for new leadership and refocused energies.
"I have been very clear and have long believed that we need new leadership in the Senate that represents our voters and the issues we were sent here to fight for," Scott said in a statement. "As everyone knows, I challenged Leader McConnell last year. This is an opportunity to refocus our efforts on solving the significant challenges facing our country and actually reflect the aspirations of voters."
He's chomping at the bit. He is also running for re-election in November. Scott's not my cup of tea and I hope someone else is chosen.
How about Rand Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky? If we're going with younger - he is 61 - then he's in Thune's territory. A part of me thinks this would be a brilliant move. Rand Paul, much like McConnell pisses everyone off some of the time. Neither man cares what anyone thinks or says about them, which is important. He is a stickler for cutting fat from the budget and reeling in the deficit. We have him to thank for a national celebration of Festivus. He's smart and not afraid to call anyone out. If Trump wins the White House, Rand Paul works pretty well with him. I don't however, see him getting steamrolled by Trump if he saw an issue differently. I think he can be trusted to do the right thing. The more I think about it, the more I like this choice.
Rand Paul is bringing Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, a Democrat, as his guest to the State of the Union Address.
The Louisville mayor is "grateful to receive an invitation to attend the State of the Union – an opportunity of a lifetime," he said.
"I’m excited to have Mayor Greenberg as my guest at the State of the Union," Paul said in a statement to The Courier Journal. "We have a good working relationship and have met several times to discuss Louisville issues and each time our discussions have been pleasant and free from partisanship."
Mayor Greenberg may as well go this year. Hopefully, it will be Biden's last State of the Union Address.
But wait, I have more suggestions. How about Tom Cotton? He can bring the next generation of Republicans into leadership. Everyone grouses that so many senators are 70 years of age and older, which, I admit, is concerning. Well, Cotton is only 46. I can't think of any downside to him being elevated. He is young but he was elected with Trump. It may be a plus for a next-generation Republican who wasn't in the Senate pre-Trump. He's aggressive on what he thinks is right and moves issues. He was the first to get out in front of the fact that COVID-19 likely came from a Wuhan lab. People laughed at him and yet he persisted. He sure looks right, as it turns out. It wasn't a wacky conspiracy, it was what happened.
Cotton is a veteran. He gets criticized as a war hawk but I don't see him that way. For example, Cotton did not vote in favor of the Senate financial aid bill for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Most of the other veterans voted in favor of the bill. He's a common sense kind of guy and he's a realist.
And, I have one more suggestion. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. She's 53, between Rand Paul and Tom Cotton. Like Cotton, she is a veteran. She joined the Army Reserve after college. She served in Kuwait as commanding officer of the 1168h Transportation Company. She specialized in logistic support. Logistics people make good leaders. She later commanded the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge, the Iowa Army National Guard's largest battalion. I like her demeanor. She shows common sense, too. She might be a good choice.
There is no shortage of possibilities and that is a good thing. Maybe it will be someone that doesn't immediately come to mind. We'll know soon enough who will rise to the top.
I'm sorry to see Mitch McConnell leave the job but he's right. It is time. His shoes will be hard to fill.
Welp, here's an update since I finished this post. Cornyn has spoken to Trump and is officially running for the job.
NEWS — @JohnCornyn makes it official, announces intention to run for GOP leader
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) February 29, 2024
He spoke with Trump yesterday and started calling around to individual GOP senators pic.twitter.com/W4XF3lBk17
