Mitch McConnell, hated by ungrateful MAGA, won't run in 2026 after 40 years in the US Senate

 

Mitch McConnell announces he will retire, ending his decades-long Senate career

 

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the longest-serving Senate leader in history, announced Thursday on his 83rd birthday that he won’t seek re-election next year, bringing an end to his four-decade career in the chamber.

McConnell, first elected in 1984, climbed his way up to the Senate Republican leader position in 2007 and remained there until early 2025, serving during four administrations in the majority and the minority. ...

McConnell supported Trump’s presidential bids in 2016 and 2020. He made a crucial decision in early 2021 to vote to acquit Trump on impeachment charges of inciting an insurrection, even as he blasted Trump as “practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day,” calling his actions a “disgraceful dereliction of duty.” Despite his misgivings, he went on to endorse Trump for president again 2024 after he clinched the Republican nomination for a third successive election. ...

McConnell oversaw Trump’s three Supreme Court confirmations during his first term, as part of a sweeping set of 234 judges inked over those four years — most of them young conservatives who will serve for generations — which he has regarded as his proudest achievement. ...

 

Senators Gary Peters of Michigan and Tina Smith of Minnesota have also announced that they will not run in 2026.

Buh bye Debbie Stabenow

 Comrade Slotkin replaces Stabenow as the now junior senator from Michigan. Senator Gary Women Love Peters is also present for the swearing-in.

 

 

Michigan's bigshot Democrats shun Joe Biden at Detroit appearance: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Sen. hopeful Elissa Slotkin, UAW President Shawn Fain

 What a bunch of phony baloney plastic banana good time rock 'n rollas.

But at a critical juncture when Biden needs to consolidate support, key Democratic leaders in the state were notably absent Friday.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is co-chair of Biden’s campaign, was out of the state. Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, and Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is vying for Michigan’s open Senate seat, were also not there. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, whom Biden actively courted during last year’s strikes, was traveling for a conference.

Rep. Hillary Scholten, who is seeking reelection in a battleground district in western Michigan, is among the lawmakers who’ve called on Biden to step aside. 

More.

Public Opinion Research is polling this morning by telephone about possible primary challengers to Justin Amash (MI-03)

Names mentioned were:

Terri Lynn Land, age 60, the shy loser to Gary Peters for US Senate in 2014;

*James Lower, represents Michigan's 70th House District, once worked for Brian Calley, Gov. Snyder's lieutenant;

*Tom Norton, Afghan War vet, sounds a little too eager for war with Iran, seems like a nice guy but can't spell too well, is "pro-Isreal";

Matt Hall, represents Michigan's 63rd House District, endorsed by Fred Upton who seems to hate Trump as much as Amash does, also worked for Terri Lynn Land when she was Michigan Secretary of State, was a "bound delegate" for Trump in 2016;

Bill Hardiman, age 72, Vietnam vet, former black mayor of Kentwood, Michigan for a decade who went on to defeat 2012 Amash challenger Steve Pestka to serve in the Michigan state senate for two terms 2003-2011, was one of five candidates who had sought the seat from MI-03 in the 2010 Republican primary, losing to Amash.

*have already announced runs against Amash

National Rifle Association political arm doesn't endorse Republicans Justin Amash and Ruth Johnson in Michigan

Rep. Justin Amash, MI-3, gets a "B-" grade from the NRA's Political Victory Fund, while Secretary of State Ruth Johnson gets a "B" grade. Amash is notable for crossing the aisle to lend support on 4th Amendment issues and to argue for enforcing the War Powers Act, but many of his friends on the right are disappointed with Amash's voting record on the 2nd Amendment, among other things.

The Republican governor of the state, Rick Snyder, also gets a "B" grade from the NRA, but unlike Amash and Johnson, Rick Snyder gets an endorsement.

There isn't a single other endorsement of a B-graded politician in the state as of September 15th, and just six Democrats receive endorsements, all in Michigan's House of Representatives, which has 110 (!) districts.

The NRA endorses no one in six of Michigan's fourteen US House districts, and endorses Terry Lynn Land for US Senate and gives her opponent, Gary Peters, an "F" grade.

Other notables getting "F" grades are Amash's opponent Bob Goodrich in MI-3, a fellow traveler if ever there was one, Dan Kildee in MI-5, Pam Byrnes in MI-7, Sander Levin in MI-9, Amash's buddy John Conyers Jr. in MI-13, and Brenda Lawrence in MI-14. Conyers infamously likes to read Playboy for the articles in coach class, and couldn't get enough signatures to be on the ballot this time but got on anyway with help from a Democrat judge.

More getting "F" grades are State Senate Democrats Coleman A. Young II in District 1, Morris W. Hood III in District 3, David Knezek in District 5, Rebekah Warren in District 18 and Shari Pollesch in District 22.

There's just one "F" grade in the State House: District 2's Democrat incumbent Alberta Tinsley-Talabi.

Republicans in the State Senate with grades less than "A" like Amash include Mike Nofs in District 19 with a "B-", Brendt Gerics in District 27 with a "C+", and Darwin L. Booher in District 35 with a "B".

Low scoring Republicans in the State House include:

Kelly Thompson in District 12 with a "C"
Harry Sawicki in District 13 with a "B-"
Nathan Inks in District 14 with a "C"
Carol Ann Fausone in District 21 with a "B-"
Michael Ryan in District 27 with a "B-"
Michael D. McCready in District 40 with a "D"
Henry Vaupel in District 47 with a "B-"
Lu Penton in District 49 with a "C"
Eric Leutheuser in District 58 with a "B"
Brandt Iden in District 61 with a "B"
John Bizon in District 62 with a "B+"
David C. Maturen in District 63 with a "B-"
Chris Afendoulis in District 73 with a "C"
Donijo DeJonge in District 76 with a "B-"
Carlos Jaime in District 96 with a "B+"
and Larry C. Inman in District 104 with a "C+".