Login
Mitch McConnell announced today that he will resign his Senate leadership position in November, while remaining in office through his current term. I have generally thought well of McConnell and believe that on the whole, he has done a good job of leading his caucus. But it is notable that, as far as I know, not a single Republican has expressed regret at his decision.
It was time to go, if only because the geriatric era in Washington needs to end. While nowhere near as debilitated as Joe Biden, McConnell’s health issues in recent years have been visible. It is highly desirable for Republicans not to be seen, like the Democrats, as a party of octogenarians.
What comes next? The Wall Street Journal speculates:
Potential successors, including Sens. John Thune (R., S.D.), John Barrasso (R., Wyo.) and John Cornyn (R., Texas), have been quietly positioning themselves for the day McConnell steps down. Other possible candidates include GOP Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, Rick Scott of Florida and Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
Most of those senators are perceived as more conservative than McConnell, although that may be largely because McConnell has been in a leadership position for so long. As the leader of a caucus, responsible for negotiating agreements that can actually pass, you can’t be a firebrand backbencher–although, to their credit, that description doesn’t fit those the Journal identifies as candidates, either.
Finally, let’s hope Republicans do it the old-fashioned way by agreeing on a new leader behind closed doors, and then anointing him with a show of unanimity. A fiasco like the one we endured in the House of Representatives is to be avoided.
Kyrsten Sinema announced today that she will not seek reelection to her Arizona Senate seat:
Sinema’s move is significant but not unexpected. She raised only $595,000 in the final quarter of 2023, a fraction of the totals that Lake and Gallego each raised — although Sinema maintains nearly $11 million in her campaign account.
So it sounds like her mind was made up a while ago. Sinema’s withdrawal means the race will be between Republican Kari Lake and Democrat Representative Ruben Gallego. Gallego is a far leftist; this is how Lake describes him:
He votes with Joe Biden 100% of the time, supported the Iran Deal, sanctuary cities, defunding the police, and voting rights for everyone pouring across the border. He even called the border wall “stupid.”
Lake will now be a heavy favorite to flip the Senate seat, obviously a desirable outcome. But I am a little sorry to see Sinema go. She was an old-fashioned–i.e, sane–Democrat. A dinosaur, in other words. While she no doubt voted with the Dems most of the time, there were important instances, as for example the original “Build Back Better” disaster, when she stood in the breach on behalf of the Republic. And I have it on good authority that she couldn’t stand her Democratic colleagues, which perhaps contributed to her decision to walk away.
In any event, while Kari Lake will likely mark an important step toward restoring Republican control of the Senate, we owe Kyrsten Sinema a debt of gratitude.
Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake raised one million dollars at a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser on Wednesday, sources told Breitbart News.
The post Kari Lake Raises Record-Breaking One Million Dollars at Mar-a-Lago appeared first on Breitbart.
The Senate campaign for Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who is running to replace retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in one of the most competitive races this year, sent out a fundraising email Thursday accusing former President Donald Trump of “spreading lies and dangerous narratives” during his trip to Michigan on Tuesday, where he spotlighted "migrant crime."
The post Vulnerable Michigan Democrat Elissa Slotkin’s Campaign Attacks Trump’s Michigan Visit to Bag Donations in Fundraising Email appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump's popularity among Republicans is 43 points greater than Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) popularity, a recent Morning Consult poll found.
The post Poll: Donald Trump More than Twice as Popular as Mitch McConnell appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Article tags
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) endorsed Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R) as he seeks reelection. In a press release from the Scott campaign, Bondi said she had seen the first-term senator and former governor of Florida show support
The post Exclusive: Pam Bondi Endorses Florida Sen. Rick Scott as He Eyes Senate Republican Leadership appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
A group of anti-Israel protesters calling for Congress to support a ceasefire and end military aid to Israel shut down the Senate cafeteria.
The post Anti-Israel Protesters Shut Down Senate Cafeteria appeared first on Breitbart.
Two months ago, the House voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Next week, the Senate will receive the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is expected to dismiss the charges just as quickly as he receives them.
“Schumer is going to table it,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., predicts of the impeachment articles.
The articles were originally expected to be delivered to the Senate on Wednesday, but some Senate Republicans asked House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to delay the delivery until next week. Fox News reported that the benefit of delaying the delivery of the articles is to allows more time for debate without the time restraint of the coming weekend.
Schumer has not indicated he plans to change his position on the articles of impeachment if they arrive next week instead of Wednesday.
If Schumer does dismisses the charges against Mayorkas, it will be a historic first, according to Marshall.
“This has never happened before,” the Kansas lawmaker said, adding that there have “been 21 impeachment trials over on the House side. Four of those, the person died [or] they resigned, but 17 of them still had the person in office when those impeachment articles were delivered, and every one of those was followed through with the trial. Again, this is so toxic that Chuck Schumer is going to table it. That’s certainly what it looks like, but we’re going to go down screaming and fighting,” Marshall says.
The Republican-controlled House voted 214 to 213 on a party-line vote to impeach Mayorkas on Feb. 13 after a failed attempt a week prior.
The House’s first article alleges that the homeland security secretary has failed to secure America’s border and enforce immigration laws, instead executing policies that incentivize illegal immigration.
The House’s second article of impeachment contends that Mayorkas is in breach of the public trust and knowingly has made false statements to Congress and the American people.
Marshall joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the Senate’s expected course of action on the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, and to explain what course of action remains for conservative lawmakers seeking to secure America’s borders.
Listen to the podcast below:
The post Senator Vows to Go Down ‘Screaming and Fighting’ in Mayorkas Impeachment Battle appeared first on The Daily Signal.
Outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) allies are flocking to two establishment candidates he admittedly would welcome winning Utah’s Republican Senate primary: State House Speaker Brad Wilson (R-UT) and U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-UT).
The post Romney Allies Push Establishment’s Wilson and Curtis in Utah Senate Primary appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
An internal poll shows Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown is dominating the GOP primary field by more than 50 points and would tack on another 16 points to his support should former President Donald Trump endorse him.
The post Exclusive – Poll: Sam Brown Towers over Nevada’s GOP Senate Primary Field, Would Surge Further with Trump Endorsement appeared first on Breitbart.
Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, known for his car dealerships across Ohio, stopped selling vehicles made in China by General Motors (GM) after the automaker decided to shutter plants in the Rust Belt while expanding production overseas.
The post GOP Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno Halted Sales of China-Made Cars as GM Closed Ohio, Michigan Plants appeared first on Breitbart.
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans on Thursday rejected the partisan Democrat subpoena against Federalist Society cochairman Leonard Leo, saying it is “unlawful and politically motivated.”
The post Senate Judiciary Republicans Back Leonard Leo in Rejecting, Defying Democrat Subpoena, Say Durbin Violated Rules appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump is elevating leading Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown after an internal poll showed him dominating his primary opponents.
The post Trump Hypes Nevada’s Sam Brown after Poll Showing Dominance appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is calling for a full Senate trial against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, which she emphasized during an appearance on Breitbart News Saturday.
The post Exclusive: Marsha Blackburn Calls for Senate Trial Against Mayorkas appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Article tags
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) signed articles of impeachment against U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday.
The post House to Send Articles of Impeachment for Mayorkas to Senate appeared first on Breitbart.
The House delivered the two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on Tuesday afternoon.
The articles are expected to be acted on quickly by the Democrat-controlled Senate, but not in the manner House GOP lawmakers are seeking.
“We want to address this issue as expeditiously as possible,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said during a floor speech Monday discussing the articles of impeachment.
Republicans who backed the impeachment of Mayorkas are concerned that Schumer will hold a vote to dismiss the articles of impeachment altogether. Dismissal only requires a simple majority, which is not out of the question, given Democrats’ control of the upper chamber.
Schumer also has the option to refer the articles to committee, where they would likely die, or to hold a full Senate trial, which Schumer is not expected to do, given his own vocal opposition to Mayorkas’ impeachment.
“Impeachment should never be used to settle a policy disagreement,” Schumer said, adding, “That would set a horrible precedent for the Congress.”
House and Senate Republicans supporting impeachment have maintained a pressure campaign on Schumer to force a Senate trial.
“Under the Constitution, the responsibility of the Senate is simple and straightforward: The Senate must hold a trial,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
“Chuck Schumer doesn’t want to do that,” Cruz added. “Instead, he wants to move to table the entire thing for three reasons. First, he does not want to allow the House managers to present evidence of Mayorkas’ willful decision to aid and abet the criminal invasion of this country. Second, he does not want the American people to see the facts. Third, he does not want Senate Democrats on the ballot in November to have to vote ‘not guilty’ because the evidence is indisputable—Alejandro Mayorkas is guilty.”
Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., serves as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and led the impeachment effort against Mayorkas.
“The American people demand accountability,” Green wrote on X, in response to House Speaker Mike Johnson signing the articles of impeachment Monday.
Tomorrow I’m joining @SpeakerJohnson to deliver the articles of impeachment to the Senate. The American people demand accountability. https://t.co/PLkTs9yOyL
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) April 15, 2024
The Republican-controlled House voted 214 to 213 on a party-line vote to impeach Mayorkas on Feb. 13 after a failed attempt a week prior.
The House’s first article alleges that the homeland security secretary has failed to secure America’s border and enforce immigration laws, and instead has executed policies that incentivize illegal immigration.
The House’s second article of impeachment contends that Mayorkas is in breach of the public trust and knowingly has made false statements to Congress and the American people.
Like his conservative colleagues in the House, Cruz says Mayorkas bears much of the responsibility for the record high number of encounters of illegal aliens at America’s borders.
“Mayorkas has aided and abetted the criminal invasion of the United States,” Cruz said. “This is a humanitarian, public safety, and national security crisis.”
Schumer told his fellow senators in a “Dear Colleague” letter on April 5 that when the articles of impeachment arrive in the Senate, senators will be sworn in as jurors the following day and that Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, D-Wash., will preside over the chamber.
The House was originally going to deliver the two articles of impeachment to the Senate on April 10, but Johnson delayed the delivery after a group of GOP senators asked him to do so to allow more time for debate on the Senate floor before the weekend.
Schumer said Monday that his plan of action in the Senate has not changed despite the arrival of the articles being delayed six days.
The post Long-Awaited Articles of Impeachment Against DHS Secretary Mayorkas Arrive in Senate appeared first on The Daily Signal.
Article tags
Article tags
The Senate begins the trial of President Joe Biden's impeached border chief Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday at 1 p.m. Eastern — but Democrats are expected to shut down the process to minimize public recognition of the many harms caused by Mayorkas's pro-migration actions.
The post Watch: Senate Shutters Mayorkas Impeachment Trial appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Article tags
Article tags
Sen. Eric Schmitt and Senate Republicans demanded answers about a proposed Biden administration ESG rule for government contractors.
The post Exclusive — Sen. Eric Schmitt, Senate Republicans Demand Answers on ESG for Government Contractors Rule appeared first on Breitbart.
Thirty Senate Republicans, on Friday night, voted to continue warrantless surveillance and even expand the FBI's surveillance authority.
The post 30 Senate Republicans Vote to Expand, Continue Warrantless Surveillance appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Article tags
Republican businessman Dave McCormick and Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) formally clinched their parties' respective nominations for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night after both men ran unopposed.
The post Republican Dave McCormick, Democrat Bob Casey Officially Clinch Pennsylvania Senate Nominations appeared first on Breitbart.
The Senate approved a $95 billion foreign aid package for both Ukraine and Israel, days after it was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The post Senate Approves $95 Billion Foreign Aid Package for Ukraine, Israel appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Pennsylvania Trump-backed Republican Senate nominee Dave McCormick predicted to Sirius XM’s Breitbart News Saturday that Pennsylvania will be a red state by 2028.
The post Exclusive — Pennsylvania Republican Senate Nominee Dave McCormick: ‘We Are Becoming a Red State’ appeared first on Breitbart.
It’s no secret that Congress is highly unpopular with the American people. For years, it consistently has ranked near the bottom of U.S. institutions. This month’s Gallup/Newsweek poll put its disapproval at 80%.
But how about its leaders?
Veteran pollster and TV host Scott Rasmussen, president of RMG Research, surveyed 2,000 registered voters last week to see how Congress’ four party leaders stack up.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the longest-serving party leader in the chamber’s history, fares the worst with a 58% unfavorable rating. His counterpart, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., comes in at 43%.
On the House side, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., the newest of the four congressional leaders, has a 31% unfavorable rating compared to 26% for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
More than 1 in 5 voters (22%) say they never heard of Johnson, while nearly one-third (31%) say they haven’t heard of Jeffries.
All four congressional leaders have a higher unfavorable rating than favorable.
Rasmussen also asked voters about President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, neither of whom received positive marks. Disapproval was higher for Biden, at 57%, compared to Harris, who has a 53% unfavorable rating.
Biden’s numbers have hovered around the same mark for months, although they are slightly better today than a few months ago, according to Rasmussen’s tracker.
The president ended last year with a 61% disapproval rate. Harris’ approval, meanwhile, cracked 40% for the first time in nearly a year.
Among the congressional leaders, Johnson’s favorable rating is 29% compared to 31% unfavorable. Jeffries is viewed favorably by 24% of voters compared to 26% unfavorable.
Schumer has a 32% favorable rating and 43% unfavorable rating. McConnell, who tops the charts with a 58% unfavorable rating, is viewed favorably by 23%.
RMG Research’s survey of 2,000 registered voters was conducted April 22 to 25 as Congress was considering a $95 billion foreign aid package. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
The post Can You Guess the Most Unpopular Leader in Congress? appeared first on The Daily Signal.
Article tags
Republican Dave McCormick is within striking distance of Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) in Pennsylvania’s race for the U.S. Senate, per a poll.
The post Poll: GOP’s Dave McCormick Within Striking Distance of Democrat Casey in Pennsylvania appeared first on Breitbart.
A poll shows Republican Senate candidates in competitive positions in hypothetical races in four of five key battleground states.
The post Poll: Republicans Competitive in Key Swing State Senate Races appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Article tags
A clash is brewing in Hollywood as actors seek to impose limits on artificial intelligence technology -- particularly when it comes to their digital likenesses -- while studios are pushing back, arguing that such limits would violate First Amendment rights.
The post Hollywood Studios on Collision Course With Actors over AI Limitations appeared first on Breitbart.
Article tags
Article tags
Eighty-two-year-old Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) announced Monday he will seek another term in office.
The post Bernie Sanders Running for Fourth Term at 82 Years Old appeared first on Breitbart.
Vaunce News