Staff Reports
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell faced the music at the Republican National Convention, and let’s just say it wasn’t a symphony. The seasoned senator from Kentucky received a less-than-warm reception during the roll-call vote, as boos echoed through the hall when he stood up to announce Kentucky’s nod to President Trump.
It’s not exactly shocking. McConnell, who’s been the GOP’s stalwart in the Senate and played a key role in reshaping the Supreme Court with conservative justices, has had a love-hate relationship with King MAGA since 2016. The rift widened into a chasm when McConnell decided to certify Biden’s win in the 2020 election, casting himself as Benedict Arnold in the eyes of Trump’s loyal legion. Adding insult to injury, McConnell pointed a finger at Trump, holding him “morally responsible” for the January 6th Capitol frenzy.
Mitch McConnell showered with boos at the Republican National Conventionhttps://t.co/GtwuhFPQYM pic.twitter.com/fb2mBgeLDR
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 15, 2024
Trump, never one to hold back on social media, has spared no digital ink in lambasting McConnell, even hitting below the belt with racial digs at McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao. Remarkably, this was the same Chao that Trump himself had appointed as transportation secretary. It seems that loyalty is a one-way street in Trump Town.
Despite the animosity, McConnell saw which way the political winds were blowing and grudgingly threw his support behind Trump earlier this year. From the bleachers, it looked like a reluctant endorsement, but McConnell claimed it was crystal clear: the GOP voters wanted Trump, so Trump it is.
The convention delegates didn’t bother to hide their lingering grudge against the Senate minority leader. It’s a classic case of “thank you, next,” showing that Republican loyalty isn’t just earned by past glories but by staying the course with the party’s current standard-bearer.
The message to Mitch McConnell? You may have helped shape the conservative landscape, but when it comes to Trump Nation, it’s perform or perish.
