Senate GOP Leadership Remains Intact
By Kyle LaFleur
As expected, there will be no shakeup at the top for Senate Republicans.
Following a decent showing in this month’s midterm elections, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was elected to continue serving as Senate Minority Leader. Speculation that McConnell would be challenged by Tea Party candidate Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) for the top Senate spot never materialized.
“Let me just say that I think that we have a great opportunity here to demonstrate that we are responding to what the American people clearly would like us for us to do,” said McConnell. “Cut the spending, cut the debt and get private sector job creation going again.”
Arizona Senator Jon Kyl will retain his title as Senate Minority Whip and Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander will keep his position as Republican Conference Chair.
“In the last several months we have tried as best we could as leadership of the Republican Conference to reflect the will of the American people,” said Kyl. “And I think our colleagues have expressed confidence in the leadership team by returning all of us to the positions in which we previously served.”
Meanwhile, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) was elected Tuesday to serve another term as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Cornyn helped the NRSC raise tens of millions of dollars for Republicans before the elections, in which the party picked up six seats in the Senate.
Jon Kyl, Lamar Alexander, Sen Mitch McConell, republican, senate in Congress
Voters Will Revolt Against Democrats Over Healthcare, Says Top Republican
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) responded to President Barack Obama”s speech on health care reform on Wednesday, assailing the President over the cost of his plan.
“He didn’t mention that the size of this measure, when fully implemented over a ten year period, is 2.5 trillion dollars in new spending,” said McConnell.
McConnell countered Obama's argument that the majority of the public supports passing reform, saying the election of Republican Senator Scott Brown (Mass.) illustrates how opposed the public is to the bills passed by Democrats in both the House and Senate.
“This is really not an argument between Democrats and Republicans, it is an argument between Democrats and the American people,” he said.
McConnell also warned of the potential ramifications of passing of health reform, saying “every election in America this fall will be a referendum on this issue."