Matt Gaetz gloats that ‘we’ve now 86’d McCarthy, McDaniel, McConnell’
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and several other Republicans on Wednesday celebrated Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s announcement that he would step down from his leadership role in November.
“We’ve now 86’d: McCarthy, McDaniel, McConnell,” the Florida Republican wrote on X, referencing former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
McCarthy was stripped of his speakership last October after a successful effort spearheaded by Gaetz.
McDaniel announced earlier this week that she would resign her post next month, after former President Donal Trump, whom Gaetz is a strong supporter of, suggested that it was time for a leadership change at the RNC.
“Better days are ahead for the Republican Party,” Gaetz added.
The Sunshine State lawmaker had previously mocked the trio of GOP leaders after the 2022 midterm elections when an anticipated “red wave” of Republican victories didn’t come to fruition.
“McCarthy, McConnell, McDaniel … McFailure,” Gaetz tweeted at the time.
The House Freedom Caucus similarly reveled in McConnell’s Wednesday announcement.
“Our thoughts are with our Democrat colleagues in the Senate on the retirement of their Co-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (D-Ukraine),” the group of congressional conservative hardliners said in a tweet. “No need to wait till November … Senate Republicans should IMMEDIATELY elect a *Republican* Minority Leader.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) echoed the Freedom Caucus’ concerns with McConnell’s timeline, arguing “why wait so long – we need new leadership now.”
The Missouri Republican noted that he “called on McConnell to step down over a year ago” and called the announcement “good news.”
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who challenged McConnell for the leadership post in 2022, called the Kentucky Republican’s resignation “an opportunity to refocus” GOP efforts on issues that “actually reflect the aspirations of voters.”
The anti-Trump Lincoln Project argued that McConnell “will go down in history as a spineless follower who cowered to a wannabe dictator clown.”
“He chose the power of a tyrant over protecting democracy,” the group said in a tweet.
McConnell, 82, is the longest-serving Senate leader in history. His current term ends in 2027.
