McConnell Warned About Losing Leadership Post If He Votes to Convict Trump
On the day when Republicans lost control of the US Senate, Mitch McConnell is being warned that he could be voted out as Republican leader if he votes to convict former President Trump during the impeachment trial.
Republicans who know McConnell well believe he will take the temperature of the Senate GOP Conference and ultimately make a decision based in part on the views of his colleagues and the mood of the country when it comes time to cast the key vote.And some Trump loyalists say if McConnell and at least 16 of his GOP colleagues join 50 Democrats to convict the ex-President, they’ll see a major backlash from the party’s base that will thwart their hopes of winning back the Senate majority next year.
With 50 Republican senators, it would take 26 votes to replace McConnell. Obviously, Trump will demand McConnell be fired as leader should he vote to convict. If all 50 Democrats vote against Trump, it would take 17 Republicans to convict Trump of an impeachable offense.
McConnell has said the rioters that stormed the Capitol Building January 6 were fed lies by Trump and other important people, showing that he clearly wants to move the Republican Party away from the former President.
According to CBS News on January 13:
Here’s the list of GOP senators and what they’ve said about voting on impeachment:
Would consider
- Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania)
- Ben Sasse (Nebraska)
- Mitt Romney (Utah)
Oppose
- Marco Rubio (Florida)
- Rand Paul (Kentucky)
- Cindy Hyde-Smith (Mississippi)
- Roger Wicker (Mississippi)
- Roy Blunt (Missouri)
- Steve Daines (Montana)
- Kevin Cramer (North Dakota)
- Tim Scott (South Carolina)
- Ted Cruz (Texas)
- Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
Responded but declined to say what vote would be
- Mike Crapo (Idaho)
- Susan Collins (Maine)
- Joni Ernst (Iowa)
- Todd Young (Indiana)
- Rick Scott (Florida)
- Jim Risch (Idaho)
- John Cornyn (Texas)
- Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming)
Lisa Murkowski is a pretty sure vote to convict. Many of the others are waiting to see how McConnell decides.
Most Republican senators are trying to stay on the fence for now since they are sure to make either Trump supporters or their more mainstream big money donors furious.
