Sen. Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, was reelected Republican leader of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, in a strong showing over his challenger, Sen. Rick Scott, of Florida.
“I’m not going anywhere,” McConnell said, according to an Associated Press story, after a closed-door meeting that lasted almost four hours. The vote was 37 to 10 for McConnell, senators told reporters.
“He said he was ‘pretty proud’ of the outcome but acknowledged the work ahead,” the AP reported. “‘I think everybody in our conference agrees we want to give it our best shot.’”
In a tweet, McConnell said, “I’m honored that my Republican colleagues have reelected me to lead our outstanding Conference. Our united team is full of energy and ideas. We’re going to fight Democrats’ recklessness & promote our commonsense conservative vision to improve families’ lives & strengthen America.”
Democrats have 48 Senate seats secured following last week’s general election, plus two seats held by independents who caucus with the Democrats. The GOP has 49 seats. A runoff in Georgia between incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker will determine which party takes the last seat.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
