Ted Cruz Calls for Mitch McConnell to Step Down as GOP Leader After Latest Senate Debacle

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called for GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to step down from leadership during a press conference Tuesday as he railed against a bipartisan border deal that has the endorsement of the Border Patrol Union.

Cruz, who also hosts a regular podcast, was asked if McConnell should step aside as the border deal fell apart under pressure from former President Donald Trump, who publicly said he didn’t want to see President Joe Biden get a “win” on immigration ahead of the November election.

“I think it is,” Cruz replied as he noted that the senators with him at the presser all wanted to see McConnell replaced as leader. “I think a Republican leader should actually lead this conference and should advance the priorities of Republicans,” he added, implying that the border deal, which included many longheld GOP wants on the border, was somehow anti-Republican.

“Under this bill, there would be a cap at 5,000. So if we look at December, we had 12,000 daily apprehensions. This would cap it at 5,000. And that cap does not mean that we release 5,000,” said Border Patrol Union President Brandon Judd earlier in the day on Fox.

“But then let’s look at yesterday. Yesterday we apprehended 6,500 people that entered the country illegally. Though of those 6,500 people, at least 85% are being released. Under this bill, at least 60% of those people would have been held in custody pending removal proceedings,” he added, urging Congress to pass the bill.

“Everyone here also supported the leadership challenge to Mitch McConnell in November,” Cruz said of the longest-serving party leader in U.S. Senate history.

Cruz was joined by Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ron Johnson (R-WI), JD Vance (R-OH), Roger Marshall (R-KN) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) – all staunch Trump allies.

McConnell was later asked during a press conference of Republican Senate leadership to address Cruz’s comments.
“I think we can all agree that Sen. Cruz is not a fan,” McConnell replied.

Watch the clip above via Fox News.