After years of moving in lockstep with Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has decided to break with the former president. Of course, the senator will still hunker down and vote “no” on any Democratic bill. But he may be too late to rescue his party and his Senate.
Trump has been going after any elected Republican he believed was not under his foot. Take Arizona’s Governor Doug Ducey (R), for example. The ex-president wanted him to throw Trump the state, but the governor said “no.” Ducey said, according to The New York Times:
‘It’s something you have to feel a certain sense of humility about. You listen respectfully, and that’s what I did.’
President George W. Bush suggested Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan (R) run against former astronaut Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), former Representative Gabrielle Kelly’s (D) husband. It appeared that traditional Republicans have begun fighting to take back their party, including McConnell, who has been a shrewd politician.
Hogan declared he would not run for the Senate. This even though the party enlisted his own wife to put on the pressure. Maine Senator Susan Collins (R) has also been working with McConnell. She said:
‘No one should be afraid of President Trump, period.’
Things have not gone exceptionally well for Trump either. The traditional Republican cards include:
- Trump’s control seems to be losing its grip
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) may challenge Trump
- Trump’s emphasis on state races concerns the old GOP boys
- January 6 resulted in the Trump GOP taking on a life of its own.’
- Collins won in 2020 without endorsing Trump.
Former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) said:
‘Trump has got a lot of chips on the board.’
Even though Alaska’s Senator Lisa Murkowski ran as a write-in candidate, she usually votes Repubican. She commented:
‘He’s made very clear that you’ve been there for Alaska, you’ve been there for the team and I’m going to be there for you.’
Right now Murkowsi has over four million dollars versus Trump’s candidate Kelly Tshibaka (R) with $630,000.
Hogan said he did not want to take on Senator Chris Van Hollen (D). This even after McConnell’s wife spoke to Hogan’s wife:
‘Elaine Chao was working over my wife. [She said] “You can really be a voice.”‘
McConnell has Collins and Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) lobbying Hogan, but the governor may be considering a presidential run. The governor said:
‘I’m very interested in changing the party and that was the most effective argument.’
Romney added:
‘I don’t see new people standing up and saying, “I’m going to do something here which may be politically unpopular’ — in public at least.”‘
North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer (R) was another one that Trump has captured. The senator said:
‘He has become more judicious so not everybody who runs down to Mar-a-Lago for the weekend gets endorsed on Monday.’
Dulcey has been sending out a message to a swing states’ Speaker of Arizona’s State House Rusty Bowers:
‘It would say we’re getting tired of this [Trump’s] bully caucus.’
Dulcey added:
‘[P]rimaries are going to determine the future of the party. This is the job I’ve wanted. [Former Vice President Mike Pence] encouraged me to stay in the fight.’
But is Pence saying that for Dulcey’s benefit? Or because he is eying a White House run in 2024?
Trump released a statement that read, according to The Washington Post:
‘Mitch McConnell does not speak for the Republican Party, and does not represent the views of the vast majority of its voters. He did nothing to fight for his constituents and stop the most fraudulent election in American history.’
The great race is on.
Three White Lions political book, now available on Amazon’s Kindle-Vella. She also writes for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery (in process). Find her here on Facebook.
