Trump Rips McConnell After Midterm Crash, Supports Rick Scott for GOP Senate Leader

As Americans await the outcome of Senate races around the country, what may not be as widely known is that GOP Senate leadership may be in the balance as well.

On Tuesday night, while covering the midterm election, conservative radio host Glenn Beck talked with former President Donald Trump – with one of the topics turning to Mitch McConnell and Senate leadership.

The two, Trump and McConnell, have been clashing since the Capitol riot, and recent talk has turned to Florida Republican Rick Scott possibly challenging McConnell for the top spot.

During their discussion, Beck asked Trump about the topic: “So will you endorse Rick Scott to replace him [McConnell] in the coming days?”

Had a Republican speculate a few weeks back that if Republicans didn’t win the Senate, the scorched-earth campaign against NRSC Chair Rick Scott, launched by McConnell allies, would be like nothing we’d ever seen.

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— Alex Roarty (@Alex_Roarty) November 9, 2022

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What The Chatter Is

Trump said of Scott and McConnell, “Well, I think Rick is very good. I think he’s highly underrated, smart guy, works hard, tirelessly. He was a great governor of Florida. He did a great job and he’s a very good Senator. And it’s a little tough because, you know, McConnell gives everybody their 20 million dollars –”

Beck then cut in, saying, “I think if you got behind it and the American people understood what was at stake and that there is an alternative. I think the pressure being put on by the American people could change things.” 

Trump replied, “Well, I think he’s got a lot of pressure. His wife is a big person for Chinese investment and his family and him, and China. I don’t think that’s appropriate. No, I think Rick Scott would be much better than McConnell.”

Whether Republicans take control of the Senate or remain in the minority, word on the street is that there could be a change coming. That change could be in the form of Scott challenging current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

In his role as head of the Republican National Senatorial Committee, Scott and McConnell have had some public differences. Over the summer, McConnell made remarks about “candidate quality” that Scott was a bit offended by.

At the time, Scott stated that he and McConnell had a “strategic disagreement,” and that the comments about GOP candidates were “not productive.” McConnell may not find as welcoming an environment when Congress is back in session.

Of the Senate races that have been decided, Ohio Senator-elect J.D. Vance has stated that Senate leadership “needs new blood,” and that McConnell was “a little out of touch with the base.”

Missouri Senator-elect Eric Schmitt said, “Mitch McConnell hasn’t endorsed me and I don’t endorse him for leadership.”

Folks this important that Republicans Senator are starting to publicly come out against Mitch McConnell. This is encouraging to see Schmitt come out against McConnell. It feels like there is real momentum behind Rick Scott right now. https://t.co/aDYLJq5twS

— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) November 8, 2022

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Moving The Money Around

In the last few weeks of the campaign, the McConnell-allied Senate Leadership Fund super PAC moved millions of dollars around the country to various races. However, they also moved around a lot of dollars that may have been better spent right where they were.

Roughly $10 million worth of TV ads were pulled out of Blake Masters’ Arizona Senate campaign, where Masters was trailing in the polls and in the money race.

In New Hampshire, $5.6 million was pulled from Don Bolduc’s Senate campaign, a race that Republicans felt was one of the most winnable.

Both candidates were endorsed by Donald Trump. So where did the money go? Apparently north to Alaska.

According to NBC News, the PAC has funneled roughly $20 million to Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s reelection campaign.

The problem is, in Alaska, the top two candidates are both Republicans. Democrats had no chance of winning that seat – but Murkowski is a McConnell ally, and her challenger, Republican Kelly Tshibaka, is a Trump ally. 

This fact alone should be good ammunition for Scott to show that new leadership is needed.