Moments after Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced he would relinquish his position as leader of the Senate Republicans, a new search term began to trend on X: "Good riddance."
This might be because the tenure of McConnell, 82, was dominated by two leading passions that the New Republic argued Wednesday "both sucked for America."
"As Senate leader, McConnell had two main objectives in the role," writes Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani. "First, he wanted to completely rewrite campaign finance laws. Second, he wanted to stack the courts with conservative reactionaries."
To that end, McConnell blocked Merrick Garland from joining the Supreme Court, arguing former President Barack Obama could not make such an appointment, then helped Trump appoint the justice whose vote would help overturn Roe V. Wade, Varkiani notes.
"I will NEVER forgive him for the damage he did to our nation in his role," wrote X user @mmpadellan. "Especially blocking President Obama's Supreme Court pick. GOOD RIDDANCE."
State Sen. Robert Gutierrez (D), currently running against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, pointed to McConnell's decades-long opposition to gun control laws.
"Good riddance to Mitch McConnell," Gutierrez wrote. "The man who single-handedly obstructed any progress on gun violence in America."
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X user @helisbor took umbrage with McConnell and former President Donald Trump's efforts to repeal nationalized healthcare.
"Remember when Mitch McConnell led tRump's initiative to repeal Obamacare and take away our pre-existing conditions protections it provided, and only John McCain saved us?" the X user wrote. "We do. Good Riddance."
Journalist Jeff Jarvis took a broader view.
"I am mindful at this moment of the many ways in which Mitch McConnell corrupted the institutions of the Senate and the courts and the democracy of America with his cynical nihilism and power," Jarvis wrote. "Good riddance."
