Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is considering his next move after he plans to step down as the longest-serving Senate leader in November, according to sources familiar with his thinking.
If Republicans win the Senate majority in November, there will be a new batch of faces at the helm of every committee and seniority is heavily considered when the assignments are made. Senate Republicans determine their committee assignments by having each senator submit requests and rank their preferences. Seniority as well as those rankings are factored into the final decisions.
Axios reported on Friday that the 82-year-old Kentucky senator is interested in becoming the next chairman of the Appropriations Committee, one of the most high-profile and influential committee assignments. However, McConnell’s office is pushing back on that assessment.
“Leader McConnell is focused on finishing the 118th Congress strong and helping Senate Republicans regain the majority,” said Doug Andres, a spokesman for the senator, in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is currently the vice chairwoman of the panel. Her staff appeared to downplay the idea that McConnell could decide to leapfrog ahead of her to take the top spot on the committee.
“Senator Collins fully anticipates that in the next Congress, she will either be the chair or vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee,” Annie Clark, communications director for Collins, told the Washington Examiner in a statement. “Of course, it is Senator McConnell’s prerogative to make his own decisions given his seniority.”
In a normal scenario, if Republicans regain the majority, Collins would become the full chair of the committee and the defense subcommittee chair. However, there could be a situation in which Collins becomes the full chair and McConnell could lead the defense subcommittee. Both Collins and McConnell are close allies who have similar views on appropriations funding and the military.
In addition to serving on the Appropriations Committee, McConnell also serves on the Agriculture, Rules, and the Select Committee on Intelligence. Several sources close with the Republican leader emphasize he has not made a decision about which posts he’s looking to pursue in the future. However, they did not dispute the fact he could be interested in the high-ranking post on the committee that is responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities.
McConnell has been instrumental as the central Republican figure on Capitol Hill to pass $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and the Indo-Pacific despite fierce resistance from some Republicans.
McConnell has staked his legacy on standing with Ukraine as it fends off a Russian invasion for the last two years. Beginning this fall, nearly every day during the Senate session, he delivered a speech in support of providing military resources to Ukraine, pushing back against what he has called the “misguided fantasies” of the “America First” movement.
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A perch atop the Appropriations Committee could give the Kentucky Republican even more sway over military funding and spending. The position could ultimately put him at odds with former President Donald Trump if he wins the presidency.
“I think it’s fair to say he’s considering the road ahead, but it’s too early to say where that road may lead,” a source familiar with McConnell’s thinking said.
David Sivak contributed to this report.
