Republican senators kick Mitch McConnell on his way out the door

WASHINGTON — Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced he will resign from the leadership after the November election — and many of his GOP colleagues responded by giving him a big shove on the way out the door.

Speaking to Raw Story after McConnell's floor speech on Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) complained that the Republicans need leadership that works for them — not "Big Pharma" and corporate interests.

"Their political contributions control what goes on in the Senate," said Hawley. "No one has done more to open the geyser of corporate cash than Mitch McConnell."

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) told reporters while walking through the U.S. Capitol complex that if the people want Donald Trump to run the Republican Party, then that's what should happen.

"The leader of the Senate has not been on the same page as the people we represent," complained Tuberville. "It's just a leadership position. There's not a lot of spilled milk with moving out. He's worked hard. He's been the leader of the Senate longer than anybody. Now it's time for him to bring us all together and get us on the same page as President Trump.

"If he's going to be the leader he can't be in the middle. He's got to be 100% in with President Trump and for all the people that are running for Senate positions."

Raw Story noted that during the CPAC event over the weekend, the so-called "old guard" like McConnell wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Yeah. Well, in defense of Leader McConnell, he hasn't been the same in a year," Tuberville continued.

"And so he's had problems, health-wise. It's a tough job. I can't imagine doing it. But whoever's going to do it has got to have a lot of energy. The next nine months are going to determine the fate of our country, in my eyes. The way I look at it."

When talking about the divide between McConnell and Trump, he explained that the presumptive 2024 Republican nominee considers issues like the border or drilling for oil to be a "big deal."

"His big deal is to get us out of wars," Tuberville continued about Trump. "And the leadership on our side is the opposite. You know, we've tried a little bit at the border, but not a whole lot."

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The Senate Republicans joined with Democrats in passing landmark bipartisan legislation to deal with immigration. The House killed the bill.

"We're in more wars now and our leadership is supporting those wars," complained Tuberville. "But Trump's not. And I don't think we've made a big enough push for oil."

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said that it isn't easy being a leader and "herding cats. ... And I think I'll just leave it at that. It's the end of an era."

He said the announcement coming now will give the conference the time necessary to figure out where the party stands and what kind of leadership it wants.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) said it's "out with the old guard."