Asked whether Senate Republicans are better or worse off with Mitch McConnell as majority leader, Sen. Ron Johnson freezes. The Wisconsin Republican doesn’t say a word for a full 4.56 seconds.
That’s longer than it takes for the average Hail Mary pass from Aaron Rodgers to reach the end zone, longer than the Green Bay quarterback usually stays in the pocket, and longer than it took a Minnesota Vikings linebacker to smash the superstar’s collarbone to smithereens earlier this season.
“We need leadership on these big issues,” Johnson finally answers, to “develop legislation that the public supports that is far more saleable than in the past.” But does McConnell, R-Ky., show the leadership needed to get that job done? Picking his words carefully, Johnson responds slowly: “We didn’t get it with healthcare. We will see what happens with tax reform.”
But if past experience is any guide, Johnson isn’t optimistic.
Sitting with the Washington Examiner‘s editorial board in his office, the Wisconsin Republican notes that the GOP conference “is far more conservative than the healthcare legislation that we voted on.” And while many complain that McConnell cares more about keeping his job as majority leader than reforming the law, Johnson doesn’t exactly disagree.
“Let’s face it, the vast majority of members of Congress, their primary motivation is getting elected and unfortunately it’s about maintaining majorities. But to what end?” Johnson asks, noting that the current majority has “not enacted conservative policies.”
That criticism comes as McConnell finds himself increasingly under fire from inside his own party. And it comes from a senator who was overlooked and left behind by the Republican establishment during his 2016 re-election bid. Not only did Johnson survive on his own, he won 74,000 more votes than Trump in red Wisconsin—a fact he points out with a grin.
Unbeholden to McConnell and untouchable to Trump, Johnson has nothing to lose. But don’t draft him for majority leader. He doesn’t want to go under center anytime soon.
“I don’t envy leadership and their task. It’s not easy. That’s why I don’t want to be personally critical because it is an enormous challenge,” Johnson says, speaking more quickly as he back-tracks. “We’ve got a broad spectrum here. We’ve got, like, no room for error. So again I don’t envy their task. It’s tough.”
Then, with seconds left in the interview, Johnson spikes the football, asking me: “Would you want to do it?” Ahead of a huddle with President Trump on Tuesday, that’s got to be the question on every Republican’s mind. No one is happy with the results of Senate leadership. Then again, nobody wants to take the lead from McConnell.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
