The very real threat that Donald Trump could be at the top of the 2024 election ticket as the Republican Party's presidential nominee is causing headaches for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as he tries to plot a path to retaking control of the Senate.
According to a report from Axios, the 81-year-old McConnell likely has one more shot at leading the Senate as he enters the twilight years of his career, and a Trump nomination could leave him wanting.
Based upon a belief that a run by the now-indicted Trump, who was branded a sexual predator in a Manhattan civil trial last week, would increase Democratic voter turnout, McConnell is being forced to narrow down which winnable Senate races he wants to focus time and money on.
As Josh Kraushaar of Axios wrote, McConnell expressed dismay at the way 2024 could pan out, telling reporters last week, "I just spent 10 minutes explaining to you how we could screw this up, and we’re working very hard to not let that happen. Let’s put it that way."
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The report notes, "If Trump's endorsements of weak candidates hurt GOP prospects in 2022, it's the prospect that Trump will lead the GOP presidential ticket that could jeopardize purple-state opportunities in 2024."
"Democratic-held Senate seats in Wisconsin, Michigan and Nevada would typically be toss-ups with a less Trumpified GOP, with Maine, Virginia and New Mexico representing second-tier opportunities," the report added. "But McConnell only mentioned Wisconsin and Nevada as other races he's keeping an eye on."
Add to that, Trump didn't help matters for McConnell with the controversial comments he made during a CNN town hall last week.
"Trump's chaotic town hall on CNN this week, where he continued to deny the outcome of the 2020 election, promised pardons to many of the Jan. 6 rioters, and failed to offer support for Ukraine, is perfect fodder to use against purple-state GOP candidates — if Trump leads the ticket," the report adds.
You can read more here.
