If Trump returns to the presidency, will McConnell be forced out as GOP leader?

[Sir Mohamed]

While kind of forgiving McCarthy, Mr. Trump has definitely turned on Mitch McConnell since leaving office. Will McConnell lose his position or step down as GOP caucus leader if Trump indeed makes a comeback and returns to the presidency? Sure, McConnell has a lot of power in the senate, but Trump would be fully in charge should he return to office.

What do you think? I'd expect McConnell be forced out and Rick Scott as his successor.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

I think McConnell will stay for 2023, but if Trump returns to the presidency then Mitch goes. I think even McConnell's most loyal allies in the Senate will see that there is no way a Senate Majority Leader can continue in leadership with a same party President in office that is not on speaking terms with them. It just won't work.
I don't think Scott would become leader, he's too unpopular with his colleagues.
Mitch will try and get Thune in as his successor but Trump will kill his leadership bid. Someone like Barrasso who is acceptable to both Trump and the non-Trumpists is more likely, even John Kennedy.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

John Kennedy is Trump's likliest pick. I think he'd prefer Hawley, but the generic Conservatives of the Party wouldn't go for him.

As for the question - Yes, McConnell and Trump are practically political rivals with the way they want the party to go down, with McConnell trying to steer it back to Bush**te Neo-Conservatism while Trump is pulling it to the Populist road, even if the moderates and RINOs are kicking and screaming as he does so. I do think McConnell retires in 2023. If enough of Trump's guys (Oz, Budd, Walker, Vance, Greitens/Hartzler, Lahmayer, Dahm, Brooks, (Maybe) Whalen, Tshibaka, Laxalt, Morse/Bolduc, and Masters) wins, then Mitch is screwed as that's 11-13 Senators that would vote against his leadership bid. If the GOP have a good night and just gain AZ, NV, and GA, then that would still be a decent chunk of the GOP Senate Caucus that would not back Mitch.

[President Johnson]

Not necessarily, I could see reach them an agreement that Mitch stays in power but de facto again serves as Trump's rubber stamp (or vise versa). Cocaine Mitch never really stood up to Trump, especially before the latter was already defeated for reelection. More than anything else the old turtle cares about his power rather than any principles. And if staying in power requires sucking up to the God Emperor again, he'll be perfectly fine to do so again.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Trump isn't returning to the Prez with that 24 Senate map , we have entrenched incumbent in all the 303 Seats

[progressive85]

Mitchie and Cheeto have made their bed together and now Mitchie will lie in it.

[Fuzzy Bear]

MItch is gone if Trump is elected.  The thought that Rick Scott would be Republican Leader does depress me greatly.

[ProgressiveModerate]

Mitch would prolly be vulnerable to a primary if he does run again in 2026.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Mitch would prolly be vulnerable to a primary if he does run again in 2026.

He is the most unpopular Senator in the country, even in his state. There's never been a solid primary challenger to him and there WILL be if he runs again. Also Trump will endorse whoever runs against him.
McConnell is DOA in his primary if he runs again in 2026.

[Suburbia]

Mitch would prolly be vulnerable to a primary if he does run again in 2026.

Good. Mitch the B**** has to go. He should have lost in 2008 to Lunsford.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Trump isn't coming back GA is looking at criminal prosecution anyways

[Tekken_Guy]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

Then he should be gearing up for retiring after a 20 point loss in his primary.

[Tekken_Guy]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

Then he should be gearing up for retiring after a 20 point loss in his primary.

Who’s going to primary him? Matt Bevin?

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

Then he should be gearing up for retiring after a 20 point loss in his primary.

Who’s going to primary him? Matt Bevin?

Bevin is just as unpopular as Mitch. I'd say someone else, maybe Massie?

[Tekken_Guy]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

Then he should be gearing up for retiring after a 20 point loss in his primary.

Who’s going to primary him? Matt Bevin?

Bevin is just as unpopular as Mitch. I'd say someone else, maybe Massie?

Massie is very libertarian leaning and kind of out of step with Trumpism on a lot of things.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

Then he should be gearing up for retiring after a 20 point loss in his primary.

Who’s going to primary him? Matt Bevin?

Bevin is just as unpopular as Mitch. I'd say someone else, maybe Massie?

Massie is very libertarian leaning and kind of out of step with Trumpism on a lot of things.

I guess. I'm trying to think of of Trump allies in Kentucky but there's not many.

[Sir Mohamed]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

Then he should be gearing up for retiring after a 20 point loss in his primary.

Who’s going to primary him? Matt Bevin?

Someone not on the radar yet.

[DaleCooper]

People are overestimating Trump's ability to primary incumbents.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

People are overestimating Trump's ability to primary incumbents.

He 100% can primary out the least popular Senator in the country. In fact I'd go so far as to say that Mitch would be vulnerable in his primary even if Trump didn't back a challenger. It's not even like Kentucky is some especially pro-establishment state.

[Sir Mohamed]

People are overestimating Trump's ability to primary incumbents.

He 100% can primary out the least popular Senator in the country. In fact I'd go so far as to say that Mitch would be vulnerable in his primary even if Trump didn't back a challenger. It's not even like Kentucky is some especially pro-establishment state.

With the right kind of candidate, sure. Though McConnell being very unpopular in the whole country is irrelevant. He's just on the KY ballot.

That said, the question was more whether McTurtleman had to step down as GOP leader in 2025 and just be a normal senator again. He could actually become prez pro tem in the next congress should Grassley die in office or resign early for health reasons. Not wishing anyone ill, but that's very possible with a dude turning 88 and running for another term. McConnell is already the 3rd most senior senator after Leahy and Grassley.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

People are overestimating Trump's ability to primary incumbents.

He 100% can primary out the least popular Senator in the country. In fact I'd go so far as to say that Mitch would be vulnerable in his primary even if Trump didn't back a challenger. It's not even like Kentucky is some especially pro-establishment state.

With the right kind of candidate, sure. Though McConnell being very unpopular in the whole country is irrelevant. He's just on the KY ballot.

That said, the question was more whether McTurtleman had to step down as GOP leader in 2025 and just be a normal senator again. He could actually become prez pro tem in the next congress should Grassley die in office or resign early for health reasons. Not wishing anyone ill, but that's very possible with a dude turning 88 and running for another term. McConnell is already the 3rd most senior senator after Leahy and Grassley.

I'm not just talking about him being unpopular nationally. When polled in their home state, McConnell consistently ranks as the least popular out of any Senator in the country.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Mitch would prolly be vulnerable to a primary if he does run again in 2026.

Good. Mitch the B**** has to go. He should have lost in 2008 to Lunsford.

Had the Democrats nominated a more Moderate Dem (Bayh, Bredesen, Breaux, Henry, etc etc) and tried to recruit Siegelman, Hodges, and some others, it's likely McConnell would've lost along with a few other Republican Senators. 2008 was really a golden opportunity to pick up some Southern States in the Senate and the Dems squandered it.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

With the news that Cameron is running for governor, it’s looking like McConnell is planning on running for re-election in 2026.

Then he should be gearing up for retiring after a 20 point loss in his primary.

Who’s going to primary him? Matt Bevin?

Someone not on the radar yet.

My money is either on Brett Guthrie or the KY SoS (forgot his name)

[S019]

Anyone who thinks McConnell would step aside is delusional, he only cares about power and he also still commands way more support in the caucus than Trump does. Unlike say McCarthy, you can see McConnell’s embrace of Trump as a ploy to maintain power than anything actually genuine. I’m not convinced the man has any genuine beliefs beyond “what can improve the institutional position of the Republican Party.”