What a difference 30 days can make.
Just one month ago, antigay Republican Mitch McConnell was still the Senate Majority Leader and had an ironclad grip on his party. Today, he’s persona non grata among his own colleagues and constituents and it doesn’t look like his fortunes will be reversing anytime soon.
In addition to be loathed by Democrats, McConnell has drawn the ire of his fellow Republicans after he said Donald Trump was “practically and morally responsible” for the deadly insurrection on the U.S. Capitol last month yet still voted to acquit him in his second impeachment trial.
Yesterday, Trump issued a nasty statement calling McConnell “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack” just 72 hours after the Kentucky Republican voted to give him a free pass on his lawlessness yet again.
“If Republican Senators are going to stay with him, they will not win again,” Trump raged. “He will never do what needs to be done, or what is right for our Country.”
Trump just released a very long statement attacking Mitch McConnell.
The one line that matters: "Mitch is a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack, and if Republican Senators are going to stay with him, they will not win again."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 16, 2021
Politico reports that Trump’s original statement also included a jab at McConnell’s multiple chins, but advisors convinced him to take the insult out.
“There was also a lot of repetitive stuff and definitely something about him having too many chins but not enough smarts,” a source divulged.
In addition to being in Trump’s crosshairs, McConnell was scolded by his buddy Lindsey Graham, who appeared on Fox News last night to urge the Senate Minority Leader to start licking the ex-president’s boots… or else!
“What I would say to Senator McConnell, I know Trump can be a handful but he is the most dominant figure in the Republican Party,” Graham told Sean Hannity. “We don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of taking back the majority without Donald Trump.”
Lindsey Graham: I know Trump can be a handful but he is the most dominant figure in the Republican Party. We don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of taking back the majority without Donald Trump… I’m sorry what happened on January 6th. He’ll get his fair share of blame… pic.twitter.com/yNAh5kVkav
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) February 17, 2021
The LGBTQ-hating senator from South Carolina later added, “President Trump is the most consequential Republican in the party. If Mitch McConnell doesn’t understand that, he’s missing a lot… We need to knock this off. Kevin McCarthy is the leader of the House Republicans. He has taken a different approach to President Trump. I would advise Senator McConnell to do that.”
Lindsey Graham: Mitch McConnell working with Donald Trump did a hell of a job. They’re now at each other’s throat. I’m more worried about 2022 than I’ve ever been… you own the Republican Party my friend but 55% of the people wanted you impeached and removed… pic.twitter.com/ugsVLwKm5r
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) February 17, 2021
Other Republican lawmakers have expressed their discontent with McConnell as well, including homophobes Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who say he is causing irreparable damage to their party.
“He has to realize as our leader, what he says reflects on us, right?” Johnson told reporters this week. “He’s representing the entire caucus.”
To add insult to all this injury, McConnell is also widely disliked by his own constituents. A recent poll found his approval rating has plummeted among GOP voters in Kentucky since last November’s election.
According to a Morning Consult survey, just 41 percent of Republicans in McConnell’s home state approve of the job he’s been doing. That’s down from 70 percent just before the November election, when he was reelected with 58 percent of the vote.
This is so satisfying ??
— M-A.StayFuckin’Legit????? (@BagdMilkSoWhat) September 19, 2020
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Cam
Like Trump knows the word “Dour”.
dhmonarch89
The thing about McConnell…. he doesn’t care! He was just re elected for SIX more years, so we have until 1/2027 to put up with him.
Liquid Silver
Disagree. He’s still got a lot of support in the Republican party, which is what’s so incredibly delicious about this.
In the game of tug of war, there’s enough strength on both sides to tear the entire party apart. They probably won’t (they’re followers, after all), but they could.
Openminded
IDK Silver. After Trump’s condemnation of him today it looks to me like there is a showdown in the works. The Conservatives are likely to have to decide which side of the party they will side with soon and that will be the beginning of a big split.
michael_totzke
May the infighting destroy the OP (no longer the GOP: nothing even remotely Grand about it) …
Mike Hunt
Such a spineless turtle, with no apparent testicles but plenty of chins. He will retire in a year or so. Just watch …
BaltoSteve
I love the lack of self awareness. The ManChild, who couldn’t get elected for a second term, is calling the Turtle, who has held the same political position since 1985, a political hack.
Roy Moss
Moscow Mitch is as ugly on the inside as he is on the outside. Hopefully he follows Limbaugh to Hell very, very soon!
BoomerMyles
Moscow Mitch will crash and implode much like tRump”s Atlantic City hotel today.