{"id":2168603,"date":"2024-02-05T19:00:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T00:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/foes-of-mitch-mcconnell-smell-blood-in-the-water-with-release-of-border-bill\/"},"modified":"2024-02-05T19:04:13","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T00:04:13","slug":"foes-of-mitch-mcconnell-smell-blood-in-the-water-with-release-of-border-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/foes-of-mitch-mcconnell-smell-blood-in-the-water-with-release-of-border-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Critics of Mitch McConnell sense opportunity as border bill is unveiled"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffoes-of-mitch-mcconnell-smell-blood-in-the-water-with-release-of-border-bill%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2168603&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>A\u200d Group of Republican Senators \u200cSlam \u200bNational Security Bill, Call for\u2062 McConnell&#8217;s Ouster<\/h2>\n<p>A \u2064group\u2062 of Republican senators, many of whom publicly\u200b opposed Senate Minority Leader\u200b Mitch McConnell (R-KY) during internal\u2064 elections, are strongly criticizing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-releases-long-awaited-ukraine-border-bill-ahead-of-expected-wednesday-vote\/\" title=\"Senate unveils Ukraine-border bill ahead of anticipated Wednesday vote\">long-awaited national security \u2062bill<\/a>. The bill includes a bipartisan \u200dcompromise on the border that McConnell supports,\u2063 but one senator has even called for McConnell&#8217;s removal.<\/p>\n<p>The growing\u200c condemnation from conservative Republican senators emerged\u200b shortly after the bill&#8217;s release\u2062 on Sunday night, \u200craising doubts about \u200bits chances of advancing in the upper chamber. \u2063The bill \u200cis set\u2062 to face a\u200d test vote on Wednesday, requiring at \u2063least 10 Republican \u200dvotes to move forward. Several prominent Republicans\u200c argue that\u2062 the deal fails\u200d to secure the border and instead encourages migration.<\/p>\n<p>Despite \u2062McConnell&#8217;s initial \u200bpraise for the\u200d deal, stating that it offers \u2064&#8221;direct \u200cand immediate \u200bsolutions \u200dto the \u2064crisis at our\u2062 southern border,&#8221; he now faces a significant challenge in\u200c rallying\u200b Senate Republicans to support the national \u2062security \u200bbill that former President\u200b Donald Trump wants to\u2062 defeat.<\/p>\n<p>This challenge to McConnell&#8217;s leadership comes after he successfully fended off an attempt by conservative lawmakers to replace him at the end \u200dof 2022. However, the fact that this challenge exists indicates\u2063 a growing\u2062 dissatisfaction from the right flank. McConnell has already clashed\u2063 with\u2064 this\u200b group of Republicans on issues such as raising the debt ceiling and government funding.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s influence has also\u200d posed challenges \u200dfor \u200cMcConnell, as\u2064 the composition\u2063 of \u200bthe Republican conference has shifted\u200b towards members \u200cwith views more aligned with the \u200dformer\u2062 president \u2062rather \u200bthan the traditional \u200cestablishment.<\/p>\n<h3>Senator\u200b Mike\u2064 Lee Calls for New Leadership<\/h3>\n<p>Senator\u200b Mike Lee (R-UT),\u2062 who \u200bpreviously voted against \u2063McConnell during the \u2064last\u2063 round of\u200b leadership elections, publicly called for McConnell&#8217;s replacement on Sunday \u2062night. Lee described the immigration deal\u200c as &#8220;an unmitigated disaster&#8221; \u2064and a &#8220;betrayal.&#8221; In a post \u200don X, formerly known as Twitter, Lee expressed his disbelief that any \u2062Republican would support the bill and declared the need for new leadership.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>This feels like an elaborate practical \u2062joke. But it&#8217;s\u2062 not\u2063 funny. Not one bit. I \u2062cannot understand how any Republican \u200cwould think this \u2062was a good idea\u2014or anything other \u2064than an \u200bunmitigated disaster. <strong>WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP \u2014\u200c NOW<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In subsequent posts, Lee\u2064 criticized McConnell for\u2062 collaborating with Senate\u200c Majority Leader Chuck Schumer\u2062 (D-NY) on \u2063the bill, referring to \u2062them as\u2063 &#8220;The Law Firm of Schumer\u200d &#038; McConnell.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We must reject the slimy \u200dtrick by which (1)\u200d the law firm of Schumer &#038; McConnell (The Firm) writes\u2062 bills in secret, &#038; then (2) puts pressure on senators to pass \u200dthem\u200d immediately,&#8221; \u200cLee wrote in \u2063a post on X\u200d on Monday.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Other \u200bsenators\u200b who previously rebelled against McConnell&#8217;s leadership, including Rick Scott (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mike Braun (R-IN), Josh\u200b Hawley (R-MO), and Ted Cruz (R-TX), also voiced their opposition to the immigration bill.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) firmly rejected\u200c the bill, stating, &#8220;Hard no.&#8221; \u200dIn \u200ba\u2064 subsequent post, he added, &#8220;This is an open-borders bill if I&#8217;ve ever seen one.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) not only opposed the bill but \u2064is also leading a \u200dcampaign to pressure Republicans to abandon\u200b it if it \u2062doesn&#8217;t \u2064garner more than 10 Republican \u2062votes. According to\u2062 sources, McConnell initially aimed for a deal that could secure the support of \u200dat least half of\u2063 the conference, which consists of 49 \u2063members.<\/p>\n<p>Even among McConnell&#8217;s allies, cracks are starting to appear. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), a \u200cformer member of leadership and an\u200d adviser\u2064 to\u2064 McConnell, expressed &#8220;questions\u200c and serious concerns&#8221; after reviewing the text of\u2063 the deal.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of the party&#8217;s campaign\u200c committee, also declared his\u2062 opposition to the\u200b measure,\u200b stating, &#8220;I can&#8217;t \u200csupport a \u200cbill that doesn&#8217;t\u200c secure the\u200d border, \u2064provides <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fing-pandering-101-full-of-s-border-patrol-agents-react-to-bidens-state-of-the-union-immigration-claims\/\" title=\"\u2018F***ing Pandering 101, Full Of S***\u2019: Border Patrol Agents React To Biden\u2019s State Of The Union Immigration Claims\">taxpayer-funded lawyers<\/a> \u2063to illegal immigrants, and\u2062 gives billions\u2063 to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doesnt-secure-the-border-top-republican-senator-comes-out-against-border-bill\/\" title=\"Top GOP Senator Rejects Border Bill for Failing to Secure Border\">radical open borders groups<\/a>. I&#8217;m a no.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>Details of the \u200cNational Security \u2064Bill<\/h3>\n<p>The\u2063 legislation, which has garnered support from top leaders on both sides of the aisle, aims\u2064 to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senator-marshall-raises-alarm-over-surge-of-chinese-nationals-crossing-southern-border\/\" title=\"Senator Marshall expresses concern about the increasing number of Chinese nationals crossing the southern border.\">tighten asylum standards<\/a>\u2062 and compel the president \u2063to close\u200c the border once\u200c weekly crossings reach an average \u2064of 5,000 per day. It \u2063also seeks \u2062to expedite the process of determining immigrants&#8217; asylum claims to no longer \u200cthan six months and establish a higher standard for initial\u200b screenings within 90\u2064 days. Additionally, the bill includes the\u200c Afghan Adjustment Act,\u2062 which offers a pathway to \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aclu-negotiating-with-biden-administration-to-give-deported-illegal-immigrants-permanent-status-compensation-and-social-services\/\" title=\"ACLU Negotiating With Biden Administration To Give Deported Illegal Immigrants Permanent Status, \u2018Compensation and Social Services\u2019\">permanent legal status<\/a> for Afghans who fled during the\u2063 2021 \u200cwithdrawal.<\/p>\n<p>The bill also allocates $20.2 billion to enhance border security, increase the number of available detention beds, and intensify \u2063screenings for fentanyl and other drugs.<\/p>\n<p>However, the \u200dchances \u200bof the bill becoming law appear slim. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who supports H.R.\u2064 2, the House&#8217;s primary border bill, has \u2062already declared the compromise &#8220;dead \u2064on arrival&#8221; in the \u2064House.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\">CLICK HERE TO \u200cREAD MORE\u200b FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are the\u2064 potential consequences for McConnell&#8217;s leadership position if he \u200bfails to secure enough support for \u200dthe bill?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ading the charge against McConnell&#8217;s leadership. In \u2062a fiery \u2064statement, Cruz\u200d called for \u2062the Senate \u2062Minority\u200c \u2062Leader&#8217;s ouster and\u2062\u200c accused him of \u200b&#8221;surrendering\u200d \u2064to Democrats.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;The leadership battle in the Senate \u2062has been simmering\u2062 for too long. It is time for new leadership \u2064that will not \u2062compromise on our \u2062core \u2062principles. \u2064McConnell&#8217;s \u200bsupport \u200bfor\u200c this\u2062 disastrous bill is the\u2063 final straw. We need a leader who\u200c will stand up \u200cfor \u2064\u2062conservative \u200cvalues\u2062 and \u2062fight against \u2062the radical agenda of\u200c the Democrats. Mitch McConnell has failed\u200d us,&#8221; Cruz said\u200b in a statement on X.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) condemned\u2064 the bill as well, stating that it &#8220;does not address the root causes of\u200d the \u2064crisis at the \u200dborder&#8221; and that it\u2063 only\u2063 &#8220;kicks \u2064the can down\u2063 the road.&#8221; Scott expressed his \u2064lack \u200dof confidence in McConnell&#8217;s leadership, calling for \u2062new\u200a\u2064 \u200cleadership\u2062\u2062 that will\u2062\u200b prioritize\u200c\u2063 border security.<\/p>\n<h3>Can \u2063McConnell Keep the Party Together?<\/h3>\n<p>McConnell&#8217;s ability to rally\u2064 enough \u2062support from his caucus will be \u2062crucial in \u2063determining\u2062 the fate\u2063 of \u2063the national \u200csecurity bill. If\u200b he fails \u200bto secure enough Republican\u2062 \u200cvotes, it risks delivering a major blow \u200dto \u200bboth McConnell&#8217;s\u2063 leadership and the legislation itself.<\/p>\n<p>The dissatisfaction among conservative Republican senators\u200b reflects the broader rift within the party,\u2064 as Trump&#8217;s influence \u200ccontinues to shape its direction. McConnell, known for his strategic\u200d approach and alliance with\u2063 the traditional\u2064 establishment,\u2064 faces \u2064a challenge from\u200c the more populist \u200dwing of the party that is \u2062aligned \u200dwith the former president.<\/p>\n<p>With\u200c midterm elections approaching and both factions \u2063seeking \u2062to position\u200c themselves as the rightful voice of the party, the intraparty conflict over the national security bill adds another layer\u200c of tension to the already divided Republican Party.<\/p>\n<p>Whether McConnell can navigate this internal\u2062 battle and secure enough support to advance the bill remains to be seen. The upcoming \u200btest vote on Wednesday will be a key indicator of \u2063the level of support he can garner from \u2062Republican senators. If \u200che fails, \u2063it could spell trouble for his leadership position and highlight \u2063the growing dissatisfaction with the status quo.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the outcome, the divide within the Republican Party on issues of national security and \u2063immigration is likely to persist and influence the party&#8217;s trajectory in\u2062 the coming years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A faction of Republican senators, many of whom opposed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in internal elections, strongly criticize the long-awaited national security bill. The bill includes a bipartisan compromise on the border supported by McConnell. One senator even demands McConnell&#8217;s removal. The criticism is gaining momentum among others in the party<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2168604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP24025571053832-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2168603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP24025571053832-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2168603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2168603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2168603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2168604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2168603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2168603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2168603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}