While House Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team maintain a close relationship with former President Donald Trump, the same cannot be said for Republican leaders in the Senate. The divide between Trump and Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell is stark, with the two not having spoken in over three years.
McConnell’s potential successors, including John Thune of South Dakota and Texas Senator John Cornyn, have also shown reluctance in endorsing Trump. Thune has expressed concerns about the potential impact on down-ticket races if Trump were to be the nominee, while Cornyn only recently endorsed Trump following his New Hampshire victory.
Another potential successor, Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, has taken a different approach, engaging with Trump before endorsing him and actively fundraising for Trump-backed Senate candidates.
As Trump continues to dominate the nomination process, questions arise within GOP circles about the feasibility of rebuilding Senate alliances that were crucial during his first term but are now virtually non-existent. This lack of relationship has been highlighted recently as Trump has lobbied senators and House GOP leaders to reject a major immigration and Ukraine deal that McConnell has been working to secure in the Senate.
If Trump wins in November, Republicans fear a repeat of the chaotic first term where legislative plans could be disrupted by the unpredictable nature of the president. This could be even more challenging if tensions persist among top Senate Republicans and a newly empowered president.
McConnell’s future as leader remains uncertain. Despite facing more internal dissent than in his 17 years as GOP leader, interviews with over a dozen Senate Republicans suggest that he would likely retain his position, even if Trump wins. However, the next Senate GOP leader and Trump will need to reconcile their differences if they hope to effectively lead the majority and the White House.
Despite the tension between McConnell and Trump, many GOP senators believe that McConnell would put personal feelings aside to advance an agenda. Whether Trump would reciprocate is another question.
McConnell’s potential successors have adopted different strategies in dealing with Trump. Cornyn has called for party unity and endorsed Trump, while Barrasso has labeled Trump the “presumptive nominee.” Thune, however, has refrained from endorsing Trump at this point, aligning more closely with McConnell’s stance.
As the GOP navigates its relationship with Trump, the party’s future leadership and the potential impact on the 2024 election remain uncertain.
Contributors: Morgan Rimmer, Lauren Fox, Christine Park