Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will be under the microscope when it comes to President-elect Trump’s most contentious Cabinet nominees, with senators watching closely to see if he will oppose confirming former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as attorney general or former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence.
McConnell, who clashed with Trump and is leaving his leadership position in the new Congress, will turn 83 in February and is up for reelection in 2026. Crossing Trump could make his road to another term more difficult, but it’s also far from clear that he would seek another six years in the Senate.
The longest-serving Senate GOP leader in history, McConnell has always been seen as a team player, but many think he could forge his own path on certain nominees. And if he isn’t running for reelection, he has little to lose in voting his conscious.
“He’ll feel a bit liberated, I think. But he’s a very measured man. He’s very controlled. Very focused. What matters in this Congress mattered to him before,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “I think his influence is real and his voice will matter.”
“When he speaks, people will listen,” Graham added.
Trump over the past week has rolled out a number of Cabinet nominations........