Gaetz gloats over McConnell's stepping down: 'Better days are ahead'

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz on Wednesday celebrated Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's announcement that he would step down as conference leader in November, marking another high-profile departure from GOP leadership.

"We’ve now 86'd: McCarthy McDaniel McConnell Better days are ahead for the Republican Party," he posted on X.

McConnell announced his plans on the Senate floor earlier in the day, indicating he would finish his Senate term, which ends in 2027.

Gaetz was the leading figure in ousting then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last October, an unprecedented move in the history of the lower chamber. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, meanwhile, announced that she would step down after Super Tuesday next week.

Conservative discontent with GOP leadership has festered for years, though conservative efforts to force leadership changes have been relatively recent. McConnell, who has led the Senate GOP since 2007, faced his first leadership challenge in 2022 from Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott.

McCarthy, meanwhile, faced stiff opposition to his leadership early last year, with conservative members stalling his ascension for more than a dozen votes. McDaniel even faced a challenge from attorney Harmeet Dhillon and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.