We knew McConnell was stepping down as Republican leader in the U.S. Senate. But now everyone has been taken by surprise.
Because Mitch McConnell just made a 2024 announcement no one saw coming.
Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell supported former President Trump’s re-election bid on Wednesday, after he won over 1,000 delegates in a landslide on Super Tuesday.
“It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States. It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support,” McConnell said in a statement.
He went on to say: “During his Presidency, we worked together to accomplish great things for the American people including tax reform that supercharged our economy and a generational change of our federal judiciary – most importantly, the Supreme Court.”
“I look forward to the opportunity of switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people,” McConnell said in a statement.
The endorsement comes after Nikki Haley, Trump’s sole primary opponent, suspended her presidential candidacy on Wednesday morning.
McConnell, who turned 82 last month, was the most senior member of Congress who hadn’t endorsed Trump.
His endorsement comes after he strongly lambasted Trump and held him “morally responsible” for the Capitol incident on January 6, 2021.
McConnell blamed Trump for encouraging the disturbance, claiming he was responsible for the “entire manufactured atmosphere of looming catastrophe” and “wild myths” surrounding the election.
The Senate leader finally voted not to convict Trump on impeachment allegations.
But it looks like Mitch has let bygones be bygones.
Anyone can see that we need to put differences aside to get rid of Biden’s regime.
McConnell’s endorsement follows his announcement last Wednesday that he would stand aside as Republican leader to explore “life’s next chapter.”
“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” he said on the Senate floor.
“So I stand before you today… to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”
“I still have enough gas in the tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics, and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm which they have become accustomed,” McConnell said in a statement last week.
He will complete the remainder of his tenure, which officially expires in January 2027.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
