Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who once bet heavily on former President Trump’s permanent exile from the party, endorsed his longtime political foe after his Super Tuesday blowout win that secured his path to a third GOP nomination.
Mr. McConnell, 82, put out a statement Wednesday moments after Mr. Trump’s sole remaining GOP opponent, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, dropped out of the race.
Mr. McConnell’s statement reiterated his earlier promises to support the GOP nominee, whomever it is, and that Mr. Trump, 77, was going to win it.
“It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States. It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support,” Mr. McConnell said.
Mr. McConnell’s endorsement comes a week after he announced he will not seek another term as GOP leader but will serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2027.
Mr. McConnell said he looks forward to “switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people.”
Mr. McConnell has been at loggerheads with Mr. Trump for years as he worked to push him out of the party and steer it to a post-Trump era. He earned the ugly nickname “Old Crow Mitch” from the former president and his wife, Elaine Chao, who served as Mr. Trump’s transportation secretary and is of Chinese descent, was labeled “Coco Chow” by Mr. Trump.
Their fraught relationship crumbled after the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, which Mr. McConnell blamed on the former president.
The riot saw pro-Trump protesters push their way violently into the Capitol and invade the Senate chamber Mr. McConnell reveres.
Mr. McConnell delivered a withering speech a few weeks later about Mr. Trump’s actions leading up to the riot.
“There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day,” Mr. McConnell said. “Former President Trump’s actions that preceded the riot were a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty.”
At the time, few believed Mr. Trump could pull off the political comeback that is now nearly complete.
Mr. Trump has all but secured the nomination and is edging closer to another term in the White House in January, while Mr. McConnell will take a seat in the chamber with the rank and file.
His statement celebrated the accomplishments the two foes pulled off during Mr. Trump’s presidency when Mr. McConnell was majority leader.
The odd couple single-handedly changed the shape of the Supreme Court, locking in a conservative 6-3 majority ushered into law major tax reform long sought by the GOP.
“During his Presidency, we worked together to accomplish great things for the American people including tax reform that supercharged our economy and a generational change of our federal judiciary,” Mr. McConnell said.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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