Donald Trump’s chosen candidates lost in several key spots for Republican leadership positions this week, dealing the ex-president another blow.
Donald Trump was not on the ballot this week for Republican leadership races in Congress, but in several key spots the proxy candidates espousing his approach to politics dealt the ex-president another losing hand.
Wednesday morning, Trump finally got what he has been clamoring for over several years: a challenger to try to take out Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), whom Trump derisively calls the “old crow.”
Instead, McConnell flew off to his ninth straight election to lead the Senate Republican Conference in a landslide, with 37 votes in his corner to just 10 for Trump’s stand-in, Sen. Rick Scott (Fla.).
Scott began his tenure chairing the National Republican Senatorial Committee early last year by making up an award to present to the ex-president at his Palm Beach resort, continued into this year by not intervening in GOP primaries to block Trump-like candidates and ended with Democrats retaining the majority by defeating those mini-Trump candidates.
Across the Capitol, the Trump factor played out most clearly in the House GOP battle to become majority whip, the third-ranking post in the majority. Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) ran aggressively and used his connections to Donald Trump Jr. and pro-Trump media personalities to present himself as the most conservative contender.
Instead, the third-term Republican made a classic mistake of relying too much on the outside game, never doing enough inside the Capitol to win over support on a secret ballot.
Banks lost to Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), the least conservative of the three contestants, on a second ballot behind the support of many hard-working, avoid-the-spotlight Republicans who want a similarly aligned whip.
It’s the odd, quirky nature of these leadership races that confound outsiders who think they will unfold in the same manner as the broader political forces. Rather than a triumphant leader who makes great pitches on political talk shows, the modern congressional leader’s success depends on doing heavy lifting in getting legislation signed into law and an enormous amount of fundraising.
“Mitch has made the sacrifices,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said after Wednesday’s vote.
Cramer explained how McConnell has earned lots of support from rank-and-file Republicans for the way he absorbs lots of criticism — often from Trump — on bills that most Republicans privately want to pass but publicly vote against.
“I mean, his willingness to have tough votes,” Cramer said, “and his willingness to help navigate the place when others aren’t willing to — but they’re willing to be critical.
