In the 2024 elections, Donald Trump’s victory in securing the presidency was a significant milestone. Moreover, the Republicans captured the U.S. Senate with a 53-47 majority. This outcome highlights the party’s strong position to implement its agenda effectively in the Senate.
… Or does it?
With Republicans holding a narrow three-seat advantage and the tie-breaking vote in the U.S. Senate, one might surmise it’ll be smooth sailing for the GOP. However, it might not be so easy. To block GOP initiatives in the Senate, Democrats need at least 4 of the 53 Republicans to defect.
Enter Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Following the November elections, we hinted he would go his own way and we weren’t wrong. The former Senate Republican leader has emerged as a rare dissenting voice within the GOP by voting against three of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees: Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services Secretary, and Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary.
It seems Senator Mitch McConnell wants to redeem himself. As a Christian, I believe in redemption.
— Val Demings (@valdemings) February 13, 2025
But the Senator's critical chance has passed. America could have avoided this madness with a little courage during the 1st and 2nd impeachments. Principle matters all the time.
These votes highlight McConnell’s increasing independence following his departure from Senate leadership and his likely retirement at the end of his term in 2026. He should be included, along with freshman Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Dave McCormick (R-PA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Tom Tillis (R-NC) as one of six Republican senators whose votes are no guarantees. At least four are required to side with Democrats to block Republican initiatives in the Senate.
The Senate shares full legislative power with the House of Representatives. In addition, the Senate has exclusive authority to approve–or reject–presidential nominations to executive and judicial offices, and to provide–or withhold–its “advice and consent” to treaties negotiated by the executive. The Senate also has the sole power to try impeachments.
Could McConnell play the role of spoiler for MAGA Republicans before his term comes to an end in January 2027?
Answer: Absolutely. But, he’d need some from a few moderates.
Why has McConnell changed?
For starters, he can’t be threatened and has nothing to lose.
The 82-year-old McConnell, having crafted a significant legacy in the Senate, is probably not going to run for re-election in 2026. Considering his signature judicial achievements and anticipated decision not to seek another term, it’s improbable that he would be influenced by directives from others, including Trump.
With nothing at stake, McConnell is uniquely positioned to act autonomously and assert his agenda confidently.
Perhaps, now, he’s finally putting the country before his party and voting his conscience.
Second, he can’t stand Trump who has insulted and poked fun at him through the years. And wasn’t a good idea considering he may need McConnell’s vote sometime in the next two years. Remember when Trump called the late Sen. John McCain a loser for being a prisoner of war? After Trump became president, McCain gladly blocked his healthcare initiative.
Who was the real loser in that episode?
Despite publicly endorsing Trump for the 2024 presidential race, McConnell has privately expressed harsh criticisms of Trump. He has reportedly made scathing remarks about Trump in private, calling Trump “stupid” and a “despicable human being and describing his behavior as “beyond erratic.” The Kentucky senator, who stated that the “MAGA movement was completely wrong, has even insisted that former President Ronald Reagan “wouldn’t recognize” the current Republican Party under Trump’s influence.
Senator, you’re exactly right.
In addition, McConnell has subtly criticized Trump’s isolationist policies without directly naming him, and it is well-known that their personal relationship is (obviously) strained. He also backed special counsel investigations into Trump’s actions surrounding the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection.
McConnell’s private criticisms and public actions suggest he’ll be a thorn in Trump’s side during the first two years of Trump’s second reign.
Two things are absolutely clear: McConnell doesn’t like Trump and has nothing to lose by voting against him.
In the evolving U.S. Senate landscape, it’s crucial to watch figures like McConnell, along with Collins, Murkowski, Curtis, Tillis, and McCormick. They could prove to be valuable allies for Democrats when the Senate addresses some of the Republicans’ more extreme initiatives.