Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was greeted with shouts of “retire” Saturday as he attended the 143rd Annual St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic, a major Kentucky political event.
McConnell, 81, has been dealing with multiple health issues this year, from a fall in March to a recent freeze-up while speaking to the media. First elected to the Senate in 1984, McConnell has been the Republican leader in the Senate since 2006, either as majority leader when the GOP held an edge and as minority leader since the 2020 elections put the chamber under Democratic control.
McConnell, who was elected to his current term in 2020, is scheduled to serve until 2026. His term as the GOP’s leader ends in 2024, according to Kentucky Today.
However, as a video posted to X, previously known as Twitter, noted, some want him gone sooner, drowning out McConnell’s words by yelling, “retire.”
Breaking news: Kentucky crowd shouts “Retire” at Mitch McConnell. 🔥🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/CULKwOuB7U
— Freedom 🇺🇸🦅 (@PU28453638) August 6, 2023
Some in the crowd chanted “lost the Senate,” according to Spectrum News.
A separate Spectrum report noted that McConnell received “a rousing welcome from the party faithful.”
“This is my 28th Fancy Farm, and I want to assure you it’s not my last,” McConnell said in his only oblique reference to his health.
Should McConnell step down from his leadership in the Senate?
Yes: 99% (151 Votes)
No: 1% (2 Votes)
A video of the speech showed McConnell speaking over a chorus of jeers as he began.
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Booing continued as he said, “it’s not hard for Republicans to look good these days.”
”We’re up against the folks who gave you record high inflation, we’re up against folks who close schools and then told you teachers’ unions know what’s best, we’re up against folks who rather let repeat offenders walk free,” he said.
1. Ouch! Looks like Mitch McConnell didn’t receive a warm reception at the Fancy Farm Picnic in his home state of Kentucky. During his speech. some folks weren’t holding back and shouted “retire” and “ditch Mitch.”
— Jewels Jones (@JewelsJonesLive) August 6, 2023
McConnell threw some jabs at Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who is running for re-election, and President Joe Biden.
“Biden and Beshear aren’t working for Kentucky. Andy might as well be on the White House payroll and it’s high time he was honest about it,” he said.
“It’s good we have a Republican General Assembly to keep the governor in check,” he said.
Former President Donald Trump has said he believes McConnell should retire, according to Breitbart News.
“We have to have that,” Trump said. “No, we have to have that. We have some people in the Senate that are fantastic and would be great at that position.”
