Senators Turn on McConnell, Demand He Step Down

(NationRise.com) – A handful of prominent Senate Republicans are calling for Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to step down as Senate Minority Leader over his support of the highly controversial bipartisan border deal.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) led the charge after McConnell agreed to a plan that Republicans have called “dead on arrival” in the Senate. Supporters deemed the plan a compromise on border security and funding for Ukraine.

However, conservative Republicans argued that the plan was hardly a compromise since it still provided over $100 billion in funding for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel while also allowing up to 5,000 illegal immigrants to enter the US daily. The bill also cuts the waiting period for those seeking a work permit in half from 180 days to 90. Several Republicans have also called on the federal government to shut down the border completely. Former President Donald Trump called the deal a “death wish” for the Republican party.

Cruz was flanked by Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), Eric Schmitt (R-M), JD Vance (R-OH) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) during the announcement. Vance had previously suggested that McConnell should’ve left negotiations for the bill before they went so far in the left’s favor. They claimed that the bill did more to expand Biden’s power than secure the US border with Mexico.

This isn’t the first time that Cruz has demanded that McConnell step down. He made that call in 2022 after Senate Republicans failed to gain a majority. He noted shortly after that failures should lead to a change in the status quo, but that didn’t happen. Instead, leadership has remained the same.

Cruz has been a longtime opponent of McConnell, often joining other conservatives in accusing him of being a “RINO” (Republican in name only). He has also accused McConnell of refusing to fight for the Republican platform, choosing instead to cave to Democrats too frequently.

Ultimately, the bill was killed by Republicans in the Senate. Even McConnell himself eventually voted against it.