Goodbye to Mitch, a 2020 rematch, and Shutdown Averted
Hello everyone and welcome back to Politics Explained! Here we post weekly recaps on the happenings within U.S. Politics in short and concise blogs. This week, we saw Mitch McConnell announcing some big news, the Michigan primaries, and a stopgap bill as we track the government shutdown. There’s a good amount to cover so let’s get started.
Mitch McConnell, Republican Kentucky Senator has announced that at the end of 2024, he will step down from his position as Senate minority leader. McConnell served as Republican leader of the Senate for 17 years, the longest anyone has ever done so in history. At 82 years old and having served as Senator of Kentucky since 1985, he mentions that, “One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter.” Although he plans to serve out his term until 2027, he will be stepping down from the position as leader, taking a step back. Aides of Mitch McConnell say that the decision is not related to his health, but it’s important to mention the concussion he suffered last year and the two moments we’ve seen where he’s been caught freezing mid-speech. Nonetheless, looking ahead is a race for who will fill in the spot McConnell is leaving. Republicans seem to have their sights set on three Senators; John Thune (R-S.D), John Coryn (R-Texas), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). This race of the “Three Johns” is something to keep our eyes on as we continue to cover the happenings on Capitol Hill!
The Michigan Primaries resulted in wins from Joe Biden and Donald Trump. As a battleground state, these results are important to look into, as it may give us insight into what the November Presidential election may look like. An “Uncommitted” movement within the Democratic party has shaken things up as the demand for Biden to call for a cease-fire has risen. 13% of voters decided to protest by voting uncommitted in the primaries, and Biden’s administration seems to be listening to this action. White House officials have shown regret over the administration's reaction to the war, and Biden has expressed more concern for the violence Gaza is facing, saying he is hoping for a cease-fire agreement and that Israel’s actions have been “over the top.” It will be important to keep track of the Arab-American support for Biden, as they are a major group who play a vital role in his chances of winning again this winter. On the Republican side, it’s clear that although Nikki Haley continues to fight, the chances of her being the Republican presidential nominee are very low. Her continual losses prove that Republican Americans believe Trump is the man for the job, and we should expect to see a rematch from the 2020 presidential election soon.
Finally, a stop-gap* spending bill has been passed by the Senate and the House. This bill prevents a partial government shutdown expected to happen today (Friday 3/1). The bill, an agreement between all four leaders of the House and Senate, also sets a commitment to vote on 6 of 12 annual spending bills by Next Friday (March 8th). Now, all that must be done is for President Biden to sign off on it, and the government should continue to move along. To stay in the loop, come back next Friday for our next blog and check out or instagram @Politicsexplained1776!
Definition of the Week (Stop-gap): a temporary way of dealing with a problem or satisfying a need.
