Powerless over power: After shifts in GOP landscape, McConnell's leadership draws to a close

I asked a learned lawmaker a few years ago about what they thought would happen to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Former President Trump was in office and starting to take digs at the Kentucky Republican. McConnell was then the Majority Leader. Trump began lobbing verbal brickbats at McConnell, imploring him to shred the legislative filibuster in the Senate.

The lawmaker knew McConnell well. But doubted that Trump could lay a hand on McConnell.

"Mitch craves power," said the lawmaker. "He’ll never leave. They’ll have to take him out of here in a pine box."

Addison Mitchell McConnell isn’t leaving the Senate. Yet. The prophesy from the political soothsayer may yet come true. McConnell plans to remain in the Senate through at least January, 2027 — the end of his term.

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Anyone who aspires to a senior Congressional leadership position certainly craves power to some degree.

But political power is mutable. Protean. It fluctuates. And those who have power today are certainly not guaranteed to wield it tomorrow.

Especially on Capitol Hill.

It’s not known where McConnell stands on the congressional scale measuring the quest for power in Washington. McConnell procured power as the longest-serving Senate leader of either party, besting stalwarts like late Senate Majority Leaders Mike Mansfield, D-Mont., Joseph Robinson, D-Ark., Robert Byrd, D-W.V., and Alben Barkley, D-Ky.

But like the others, McConnell had only power — not superpowers.

And everyone lacks power over maintaining power.

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"I turned 82 last week. The end of my contributions are closer than I’d prefer," said McConnell. "Father Time remains undefeated."

It