They’re mad because McConnell had the audacity to speak the absolute truth — that Pete Hegseth, who allegedly drinks too much, paid a woman $50,000 to settle a sexual assault allegation, and drove two nonprofit groups into the ground, wasn’t qualified to be U.S. defense secretary. And he voted against confirming Hegseth.

The Republican senator’s childhood bout with the disease has informed his ardent support for vaccines amid increasing skepticism of them within his party.

We shouldn’t expect McConnell to be the next John McCain or Mitt Romney, but his vote Friday against Pete Hegseth previewed some fascinating dynamics ahead.

Sen. Mitch McConnell was one of three Republicans to vote against Pete Hegseth, who was narrowly confirmed as President Donald Trump's defense secretary.

WASHINGTON – Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell was one of three Republicans voting against the confirmation of Pete Hegseth on Friday to be secretary of Defense, though his appointment was approved by the narrowest of margins.

No Republicans have said publicly they would oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run Health and Human Services. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), a polio survivor, and centrist Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are considered possible defectors.

To be confirmed as health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if all Democrats are united in their opposition to him.

With his "no" vote on Fox News personality Pete Hegseth's nomination to become the first secretary of defense during Donald Trump's second administration, influential former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) served notice to the newly elected president,

The Trump administration needs to come up with a "McConnell strategy" if it doesn't want a full-on Republican revolt to stall the Trump agenda, according to CNN's Manu Raju. Last week, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) defied Trump by breaking with Republicans during the vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.

"McConnell spent his life creating this crisis...Only at the end does he find a conscience," political commentator Wajahat Ali wrote.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell through several personal shots at President Donald Trump’s scandal-plagued secretary of defense Pete Hegseth just as he was barely confirmed for the job on Friday. McConnell,

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.