Trump's Lock On The GOP Is Complete As Mitch McConnell Heads For The Exit

WASHINGTON ― Mitch McConnell’s withdrawal from Republican Senate leadership completes Donald Trump’s dominance over the Republican Party as he barrels toward the 2024 GOP presidential nomination despite facing 91 criminal charges across several jurisdictions.

It also reflects the sharply diminished state of the establishment GOP, which for decades advocated for traditional conservatism in the mold of Ronald Reagan and a muscular U.S. foreign policy abroad. Now it’s controlled by the ascendant Trump wing that favors isolationist populism.

McConnell, the longest-serving Senate GOP leader in history, found himself increasingly at odds with the former president’s faction. He faced growing resistance over his support for U.S. aid to Ukraine as it continues to struggle against a Russian military campaign seeking to wipe it off the map. And he was constantly dogged by complaints about his leadership by newcomers who favored more hard-charging tactics.

“Believe me, I know the politics within my party at this particular moment in time. I have many faults ― discerning Senate politics is not one of them,” the 82-year-old senator acknowledged in an emotional speech on Wednesday.

“One of life’s underappreciated moments is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter. This will be my last term as Republican leader in the Senate,” he added.

The Kentucky Republican stands alone as the highest-ranking elected GOP holdout on endorsing Trump. That will change with the selection of his successor in November. Likely candidates include Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), Senate GOP Conference chair John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). All three men have endorsed Trump, but Barrasso is viewed as more