# Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to step down as Leader \[2/28/2024\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 28, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242 "2024-02-28T17:32:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/1 "2024-02-28T17:32:24Z")
> **[Mitch McConnell Stepping Down as Senate Republican Leader](https://www.thedailybeast.com/mitch-mcconnell-to-step-down-as-senate-republican-leader-in-november)** > > The Kentucky senator is ending a record run in the chamber. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/2 "2024-02-28T17:33:46Z")
**Moderating** : Normally, we like more than just a link and an almost nothing OP, but this one seems to speak for itself. (to cut off any flags about this.) * * * * * * Wow indeed. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/3 "2024-02-28T17:35:15Z")
Wow indeed. Who is up for leader after him? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/4 "2024-02-28T17:36:12Z")
I suspect we’re about to learn. My money is on John Thune. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/5 "2024-02-28T17:36:21Z")
A Rat, fleeing a sinking ship. 💩 ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/6 "2024-02-28T17:36:45Z")
Thirding the WOW. Not till November, though, so he won’t even be presiding over the lame-duck session till the inauguration. Will the Senate GOP pick a new leader for that period? If so, who’s a likely candidate? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/7 "2024-02-28T17:37:14Z")
I remembered seeing an **[article](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/12/mcconnell-successor-three-johns-race-526920)** discussing that. Their take was… > [@](#): > > The decision by Senate Minority Whip John Thune to run for reelection sets up an intricate shuffle among a trio of Republicans named John to succeed McConnell. There’s Thune the South Dakotan, McConnell’s current deputy, as well as former whip John Cornyn of Texas, the two favorites to succeed the GOP leader. Then there’s John Barrasso, the No. 3 Senate GOP leader whom Republicans believe is likely to ascend to the whip job first as Cornyn and Thune compete to succeed McConnell. I want to say nice things about ol’ Mitch, but … none comes immediately to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/8 "2024-02-28T17:39:42Z")
Even fewer come to mind when it comes to Cornyn, who would be one of the worst, nastiest hardliners they could put in that position. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/9 "2024-02-28T17:41:55Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Cornyn, who would be one of the worst, nastiest hardliners they could put in that position. Which no doubt is why they’ll settle on him. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/10 "2024-02-28T17:43:23Z")
Let’s hope that his successor continues to be a minority leader, not a majority leader. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/11 "2024-02-28T17:45:18Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > I want to say nice things about ol’ Mitch, but … none comes immediately to mind. Given that the big news, yesterday, was that Trump was trying to hit him up for an endorsement, I’d say that the man is setting a pretty clear signal in favor of America and the Constitution. Personally, I applaud you Mr. McConnell. 👏 > **[Will Mitch McConnell Cave to Trump Again?](https://newrepublic.com/post/179307/will-mitch-mcconnell-cave-trump-again)** > > Trump wants the Senate Majority Leader’s endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/12 "2024-02-28T17:46:06Z")
Given his clear health issues this is undoubtedly the best decision. Pretty shocked he recognized it since giving up that type of power is fairly unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/13 "2024-02-28T17:54:25Z")
I wonder if this means that McConnell thinks Trump is going to win and will rather not deal with him. Or if he thinks that no matter who wins the presidency in 2024, the Dems will keep the Senate and being minority leader really sucks. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/14 "2024-02-28T17:54:29Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Thirding the WOW. Not till November, though, so he won’t even be presiding over the lame-duck session till the inauguration. Will the Senate GOP pick a new leader for that period? If so, who’s a likely candidate? I assume that they will chose their next leader well before McConnell actually steps down. They can’t afford not to have one, even during a lame duck, as there’s likely to be big decisions that will be kicked down the road until after the election. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/15 "2024-02-28T17:58:35Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I’d say that the man is setting a pretty clear signal in favor of America and the Constitution. It feels a tad charitable, to me, to refer to McConnell saying _nothing_ on the subject whatsoever as a “pretty clear signal.” But I give the man his final eight months in the position to find his personal profile in courage before he turns in his ~~hard pass~~ tiara. And, yeah: his health has to be the overwhelming driver of timing, here. He may well have maintained that his episodes were “nothing” and that he was “fine,” but not a soul on Earth believed him. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/16 "2024-02-28T17:59:06Z")
Mitch’s current term doesn’t end until 2027. He’s not retiring, just stepping down as leader. So he will still be there, screwing things up. I’d rather he retire completely, but that’s a big ask. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/17 "2024-02-28T18:00:34Z")
I heard them talking about Mitch McConnell in the past tense on MSNBC, and I figured he died. Damn. Maybe next time. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/18 "2024-02-28T18:01:20Z")
It’s about time. Were it not for Mitch McConnell protecting Trump, we would not be in the mess we’re in now. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/19 "2024-02-28T18:02:09Z")
I wouldn’t bet on him serving out the remainder of his Senate term in its entirety, though. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242/20 "2024-02-28T18:03:30Z")
From your keyboard to Og’s hearing orifices. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sen-mitch-mcconnell-r-ky-to-step-down-as-leader-2-28-2024/998242.md?page=2)