Opinion
Senate GOP Needs New Leadership: ‘Not Mitch McConnell’
Incumbent Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Missouri Senate hopeful Eric Schmitt each said Monday that if Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate, they won’t support Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for another term as leader.
At a rally for Schmitt in Springfield, Missouri, Hawley told a handful of reporters that he prefers a fresh face for leader, citing disagreements with McConnell on funding Ukraine’s defense against Russia and spending legislation.
“I don’t imagine I will, no,” Hawley reportedly said when asked if he would support McConnell.
“I’m not sure if any other senator will run or not. Nobody’s indicated they would. But my view is that we need new leadership in that position,” he added.
Hawley, asked today if he'd support McConnell as maj. leader if GOP retakes Senate: "I don't imagine I will, no. … I'm not sure if any other senator will run or not. Nobody's indicated they would. But my view is that we need new leadership in that position." #mosen https://t.co/3kI5KGildC
— Galen Bacharier (@galenbacharier) November 7, 2022
Asked by St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum who should be the next GOP leader, Hawley simply replied, “not Mitch McConnell.”
When asked who should lead the Senate GOP caucus after tomorrow’s elections, @HawleyMO replied: “Not Mitch McConnell.”
— Jason Rosenbaum (@jrosenbaum) November 8, 2022
Those comments came at a rally for Schmitt, the state attorney general who himself has voiced opposition to McConnell’s leadership. In the final weeks of the Republican Senate primary in July, Schmitt told reporters he wants either Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas or Mike Lee of Utah to lead the Republican conference. “Mitch McConnell hasn’t endorsed me and I don’t endorse him for leadership,” Schmitt said at the time.
Asked Monday how he would vote in the next leadership election, Schmitt told reporters, “I said what I said, and I stand by those comments.”
McConnell, 80, has been the Republican leader in the Senate for nearly 15 years, both in and out of the majority.
The establishment leader announced his intention to run for leadership again in January, even though there are growing calls for change among his GOP colleagues.
In addition to Hawley, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., has refused to commit to voting for McConnell and did not rule out running for the leadership himself in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “I’m not focused on anything except getting a majority Tuesday night,” Scott said, which host Chuck Todd observed was a “non-answer.”
