McConnell in winter: For GOP leader in thinly divided Congress, it’s 2014 again

© Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America/TNS Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell types on his phone during a news conference following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon in the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 14, 2023, in Washington, DC. In his dry, non-performative manner, McConnell has already sought to adhere to these directives, intentionally or not. With Trump himself running again for the White House in 2024, it’s unclear how much time he’ll devote to endorsing Senate candidates in primaries. With the Senate off to a slow start legislatively, McConnell hasn’t had much of an opportunity yet to block Democratic initiatives. Mehlman believes McConnell will stick to the same legislative strategy he embarked on at the beginning of Biden’s term.