Nikki Haley, a candidate for the presidency, has proposed that Mitch McConnell, the powerful and long-serving leader of the US Senate, resign following an incident this week in which he physically froze and was unable to speak in the Capitol.
“I think Mitch McConnell did an amazing job when it comes to our judiciary, when we look at the judges, when we look at the supreme court, he’s been a great leader,” said Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations under the administration of Donald Trump. “But we’ve gotta stop electing people because they look good in a picture and they hold a baby well.”
She added that senior Democrats like 83-year-old representative Nancy Pelosi, 90-year-old US senator Dianne Feinstein, and 80-year-old president Joe Biden should “know when to walk away”.
Congressmen should be subjected to mental acuity testing as well as term limitations, Haley said. According to the 81-year-old McConnell’s spokesperson, he plans to finish out his term, which is set to expire in 2026. Since 2007, he has served as the Republican Conference’s chair.
Although McConnell’s office stated that the senator experienced dizziness, it has not provided any additional information regarding the specifics of the incident. After falling onstage earlier this year, McConnell was sent to the hospital with a concussion and a broken rib. He also injured himself earlier this year in Finland while getting off an aircraft at Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC.
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Republicans in the Senate have openly endorsed McConnell. However, some have been more cautious while speaking anonymously. One Republican senator proposed McConnell resign after saying he has been relying more on his lieutenants. The senator reportedly said, “I’d hate to see it forced on him,” as reported by NBC. “You can do these things with dignity, or it becomes less dignified. And I hope he does it in a dignified way – for his own legacy and reputation.”
