Senate Republican says it's 'baked' that 2024 will be McConnell’s last year in charge

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who will turn 82 on February 20, enters 2024 facing an array of challenges — from concerns about his health to bad blood between him and 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump.

The Hill's Al Weaver examines McConnell's role in the GOP in an article published on New Year's Day 2024. And of the GOP senators interviewed told The Hill it is "baked" that 2024 will be his last year as Republican leader in the U.S. Senate.

The senator, quoted on condition of anonymity, commented, "I think it's just more a function of how many sunrises and sunsets he's observed and how long he's been in politics."

But other Republicans interviewed doubt that McConnell will face majority opposition if he wants to stay on as the Senate's Republican leader.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), told The Hill, "I personally would be surprised if he ran again for leader. But I will tell you, I don't think anybody challenges him or beats him if he decided to run."

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) expressed no desire to see anyone other than McConnell as GOP Senate leader in 2024.

Rounds told The Hill, "He is the recognized leader. He is still the strategist that sees the long game, and he is the guy who is putting the strategy out in front of us right now. That has not changed. What I'm seeing has been a leader who has been on top of it."

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Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), however, isn't sure that McConnell will want to stay on as leader if Trump returns to the White House in 2025.

Cramer told The Hill, "It seems to me spending your last couple of (years) taking on someone who's going to be an adversary…. I just don't know what Mitch's tolerance for misery is."

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