Prominent conservatives pump the brakes on McConnell and McCarthy's GOP Leadership dreams


Still reeling from what has widely been seen as an underwhelming showing in this year's midterm elections, congressional Republicans are now facing a growing movement to delay the scheduled leadership votes that will determine who will set the GOP agenda in the coming legislative session.
In a letter obtained by outgoing Axios reporter Jonathan Swan on Monday, a slate of conservative notables "strongly" urged House and Senate Republicans to postpone choosing their respective caucus leaders until after the Georgia runoff election is decided on December 6. Citing the need for GOP leaders who will "confidently and skillfully present a persuasive coherent vision" for the party's future, the letter is notable not just for what it says, but for who is saying it; signatories include Mark Meadows, onetime chief of staff to former President Donald Trump, and Ginni Thomas, wife of conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. All told, the dozens of conservative notables behind the letter represent a major nexus of right-wing influence and finance at the highest levels.
Calls for leadership election delays have grown stronger from within Congress as well. While prospective speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) leadership bid has been complicated by growing dissent within his caucus ranks over the GOP's razor-thin majority in the coming term, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has also begun receiving pushback from his colleagues, most recently including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) who claimed on Sunday evening that not delaying a leadership vote would be "disrespectful" to Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Unlike McCarthy, McConnell's role hasn't been directly challenged by his fellow senators to date. However, President Trump has renewed calls to oust the longtime Senate leader in the wake of the midterms. Though at the moment it seems unlikely McConnell — widely regarded as the most effective conservative tactician in decades — will actually be removed from his leadership position, Trump's invectives have exacerbated the growing rift within the party among MAGA-aligned lawmakers angered over what they deem an unforgivable failure on the part of establishment GOP figures in the last election, and with an eye towards 2024, as well. Should Republican senators once again elect McConnell as leader, he may enter the coming legislative term expending more energy than ever before on maintaining fragile unity within a caucus nevertheless headed toward an unavoidable ideological schism.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
6 Broadway shows coming to a local theater near you
The Week Recommends Harry Potter makes an appearance. As do the wives of Henry VIII.
-
Judge rejects top state charges in Mangione case
Speed Read If convicted, Mangione faces up to life in state prison
-
UN panel finds Israeli genocide in Gaza
Speed Read The report found that Israeli leaders had committed ‘four of the five “genocidal acts”’ prohibited under the U.N. Genocide Convention
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants