Opinion

McConnell Blames Trump for Establishment Not Being Able to ‘Control’ GOP Primaries

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell may have had a bit of a Freudian moment with reporters, admitting his desire to be able to ‘control’ Republican primary elections away from all that icky stuff like ‘democracy’ and Republican voters getting to decide who their candidates should be. 

And of course, McConnell pointed the finger directly at Donald Trump for this lack of control.

“My view was do the best you can with the cards you’re dealt,” he told reporters at a weekly press briefing.

“Now hopefully in the next cycle we’ll have quality candidates everywhere and a better outcome.”

Watch:

RELATED: Trump Slams ‘Broken Down Hack’ Mitch McConnell And His ‘Crazy Wife’

McConnell Blames Trump for Midterms

It’s been a line of attack used by McConnell against Trump even before the midterms, but it also reveals how GOP bigwigs believe the party should operate: As their personal fiefdoms, not as a competitive process in which voters get to decide. 

No, according to McConnell, a handful of establishment Republicans should get to decide, and no one else.

“I think there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate,” McConnell said as far back as August, a prediction that eventually came true.

“Senate races are just different — they’re statewide, candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome,” he added, as per NBC News reports.

Of course, it’s hard to win races when Republicans get heavily outspent – and instead of spending money on beating Democrats, we know McConnell and Co. spent money trying to beat Republicans. 

McConnell’s initial comments on “candidate quality” launched Trump into a tirade.

“Why do Republicans Senators allow a broken down hack politician, Mitch McConnell, to openly disparage hard-working Republican candidates for the United States Senate?” he asked. “This is such an affront to honor and to leadership.”

Trump also took aim at McConnell’s wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

“He should spend more time (and money!) helping them get elected, and less time helping his crazy wife and family get rich on China!” he added.

RELATED: Unnamed Sources, Top Conservatives Blame Trump for Midterm Disaster

Who is to Blame?

Blake Masters, a Republican candidate who lost his Senate race in Arizona, affirms Trump’s contention that McConnell should have spent more on candidates despite his feelings on their “quality.”

“You know what else is incompetent, Tucker? The establishment. The people who control the purse strings,” Masters told Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

“Had he (McConnell) chosen to spend money in Arizona, this race would be over. We’d be celebrating a Senate majority right now.”

But it might not have been the spending alone that caused midterm issues. Analysis of fundraising and expenditures by OpenSecrets shows that percentage-wise, spending was similar between Republicans and Democrats.

Democrats also raised more money to spend – a lot more money – and that falls on GOP leadership.

“Democratic candidates and party committees outraised their GOP counterparts by a combined $393.1 million through Oct. 19,” OpenSecrets writes. This, despite the fact that the GOP spent well over twice as much on fundraising efforts.

The lack of efficiency is on the establishment leaders there, nobody else. You’re wining and dining donors and not yielding results at the same level as your Democrat counterparts. To the tune of:

  • Republicans – $1 spent for every $5 raised.
  • Democrats – $1 spent for every $14 raised.

That fact didn’t stop unnamed sources from pointing a finger for the lackluster midterm performance on Trump anyway.

One such GOP source told Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich shortly after the election, “If it wasn’t clear before it should be now” that “we have a Trump problem.”

No, you have a competence problem in leadership. Last we checked, Trump is a private citizen. While he can make appearances and hold rallies, he doesn’t control the GOP’s purse strings or their get-out-the-vote operation.

Trump has repeatedly taken shots at Mitch McConnell ever since the Senate Minority leader vowed to be “done with” him. Which, if you were done with him, you’d think you’d stop talking about him.

Trump described Mitch as an “absolute loser” who has been giving Democrats “everything they want” and pressed the GOP to oust the Republican leader, whom he describes as a “Broken Old Crow,” from leadership.

The GOP has a Mitch problem, not a Trump problem.

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Rusty Weiss

Rusty Weiss is a freelance writer focusing on the conservative movement and its political agenda. He has been following and analyzing the political climate for several years, and his writings have appeared in the Daily Caller, FoxNews.com and more.

View Comments

  • Spot on, Rusty. Mitchy-baby has been a total failure for decades. Unbelievable he still represents that same people that give is Rand Paul! Come on, Kentucky! Be consistent. Get rid of McConnell and do us all a favor. But then again - why do Republicans keep making him the whip? I do NOT get that!

  • I could do without Kitsch McCornhole & his self-serving opinions. Like many of his Congresscronies he's definitely passed his sell-by date!

  • DITCH MITCH HE IS THE SCUM OF THE EARTH TRAITOR TO AMERICA. HE MUST FEEL VERY SECURE THAT NO ONE WILL INDICT HIM TO COME OUT AS A TOTAL BETRAYER OF ALL OF US.

  • Mc connel needs to go along with the head of the RNC. they did not back or fund republican candidates who could have easily won if the republicans would have given them funds. Here in oregon 2 republicans lost by 1% of the vote both could have won if The RNC would have pitched in with tv ads or money for ads.

  • McConnell is nothing but a worthless rhino that needs to be booted out and never let back in. Drop him into the dust bins of rhino corruption he has put on the American people and lined his pockets with CCP money.

  • Unsure. What idiot would say that. McConnell has to. He is a dem. Him and his wife r in bed with China. He paid 9 m floats to keep rhino lisa markowski. He gave az nothing we should have won by 4 seats. He had been trashing trump since day 1 read Peter Schweitzer s book. His wife’s dad has shipping ports with China. Than him and Chuck pad pockets with Doners. He is pelosi .

  • Once again McConnel and his ilk are exposed since Trump shined the light on them.
    Little wonder the hate him so much. God bless president Trump.

  • No. Mitch IS the establishment and the reason the GOP is losing even while winning on the issues. The party needs a fighter like Trump, not Mitch who sees no cognitive decline in Biden and thinks he is the same guy he has always known. McConnell either needs new glasses or some dementia medicine. He has lost three elections in a row and he has to go.

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