As I reported on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been pressuring GOP senators behind closed doors to pledge to support his (the Democrats') border bill before it's released to the public for open debate. McConnell has reportedly kept the largely complete bill "secret" until he can lock in the support of at least 20 of the 49 Senate Republicans.

Welp, it now appears that the embattled Minority Leader has been rebuffed by a sufficient number of his Republican colleagues — each with a spine that he sorely lacks — who have refused to link Ukraine aid to the Biden Border Crisis.

McConnell reportedly told a group of GOP senators behind closed doors on Wednesday that "the politics have changed" — a reference to former President Donald Trump's decisive wins in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — referencing Trump's plan to run on the out-of-control border issue. 

The former president made no bones about it last Thursday.

I do not think we should do a Border Deal, at all, unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions & Millions of people, many from parts unknown, into our once great, but soon to be great again, Country! Also, I have no doubt that our wonderful Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, will only make a deal that is PERFECT ON THE BORDER. Remember, without Strong Borders and Honest Elections, we don’t have a Country!!!

Rhetoric aside, the illegal alien invasion has emerged as a key issue for Trump — and a major problem for Biden.

I do not think we should do a Border Deal, at all, unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions & Millions of people, many from parts unknown, into our once great, but soon to be great again, Country! Also, I have no doubt that our wonderful Speaker of…

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 18, 2024

Mitch got the message — finally:

When we started this, the border united us and Ukraine divided us. The politics on this have changed.

In other words, it's all about politics to McConnell.

NEWS from me & @bresreports in @PunchbowlNews PM:

MCCONNELL told a closed meeting of Senate Republicans Wed that the politics of the border has flipped for Rs and cast doubt on linking Ukraine and border.

“When we started this, the border united us and Ukraine divided us.”…

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 24, 2024

McConnell referred to Trump as "the nominee," adding: "We're in a quandary. We don't want to do anything to undermine him." 

Really, Mitch? A quandary?

How about not doing anything to undermine the American people and the security of the United States? Would it have been too much to ask you to think of that yourself — vs. simply not wanting to undermine the likely 2024 Republican presidential nominee?

Ukraine funding has long been a priority for McConnell — not unlike Joe Biden's virtually "open-checkbook" policy — a position that a majority of conservative Republican lawmakers vehemently oppose.  

Here's more:

A  Senate GOP source familiar with McConnell’s comments said he was “laying out the options” to Republican senators now that it’s become clear that Senate conservatives strongly oppose the border security reforms that were negotiated with Democrats to go along with Ukraine funding.

While McConnell and some Senate Republicans believe the concessions extracted from Democrats would be “huge wins,” the source said, it appears that former President Trump, the party’s likely presidential nominee, will oppose the package.  

[...]

Senate Republicans who support the emerging package say it’s becoming clear that Trump will oppose it, which means it has little to no chance of passing the Republican-controlled House.  

“The Trump people want to kill it and run on the issue,” said the Senate source familiar with the internal Republican discussion.

As well Trump should — along with all conservative Republicans.

In my Wednesday article, I noted that the bill included allowing 5,000 illegal aliens to enter the country daily before giving Biden the authority to deport them (as if he would) without going through the asylum process — similar to former President Trump's authority under Title 42.

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, as to be expected, went scorched earth on McConnell:

The bill is not designed to fix this problem. ... The chances of this bill passing the House are 0.000%. It ain’t gonna pass. This bill represents Senate Republican leadership waging war on House Republican leadership.

Why on earth would you be teeing up a vote with every Democrat and 10 or 12 Republicans that has no chance of passing the House?

Chuck Schumer’s enemies in Congress are conservatives in the Senate and are House Republican leadership. And sadly, Mitch McConnell’s enemies are conservatives in the Senate and House Republican leadership.

Sens Ron Johnson ( R-Wis.) was even more direct:

The problem is our leader. Leader McConnell is really the stage manager of this negotiation.

Exactly. McConnell's pattern of talking tough against Democrat policies and proposals, only to ultimately fold up like a cheap suit to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is sickenly all too familiar.

SEE MORE:

CBO: Biden Has Used 'Parole' Loophole to Summarily Release 6.2 Million Illegal Aliens Into the U.S.

Biden Goes to Bat for McConnell After Health Scare, and the Reason Is Obvious

Mitch, Please: McConnell Goes Full RINO in Condemning Tucker Carlson and New J6 Video