Mitch McConnell sings Trump campaign’s praises: ‘Sharper operation this time’

A smiling Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., congratulated both President-elect Trump on his expected victory and his fellow Senate Republicans on being expected to regain the majority in the new Congress.

He told reporters Wednesday that it is “certainly a happy day for the GOP.”

McConnell spoke about the significance of the expected Trump victory, noting, “What he’s accomplished hasn’t been done, as you all know, since Grover Cleveland, who was a while back.”

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called former President Donald Trump “despicable.” (Reuters)

Notably, former President Grover Cleveland was the only president to serve non-consecutive terms.

“I also want to commend the Trump campaign for running a sharper operation this time,” he added.

The minority leader specifically singled out Trump campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, saying they “deserve a lot of credit” and “ran a spectacular race.”

The Fox News Decision Desk has predicted that Republicans will recapture the Senate majority and flip three blue seats. There are still several Senate races in battleground states that have yet to be called, meaning their majorities could still grow.

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Former President Donald Trump is pictured at an election night party Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (AP/Alex Brandon)

McConnell, who announced in February that he would not seek the role of party leader in the new Congress, explained that he had “really hoped that I would be able to hand over a majority to my successor.”

“I’ve been majority leader. I’ve been minority leader. Majority is much better.”

“Based on the fact that we haven’t gotten all the results and we certainly already know that we’re going to be in the majority, we’re hoping that it might actually grow some,” he said.

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives at the US Capitol in Washington, DC (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

He also credited National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont., for his leadership during the cycle.

McConnell’s praise for the Trump campaign came days after Trump mocked him at a rally in North Carolina. “Hopefully we’ll get rid of Mitch McConnell pretty quickly because he helped them, that guy,” the former president said, suggesting he helped the Biden-Harris administration.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s disparaging remarks about former President Donald Trump, left, over the years were revealed in excerpts from a new book. (Reuters)

He also poked fun at the fact that McConnell had endorsed him earlier this year despite their well-documented problems with each other. “Can you believe he supported me?” Trump asked the crowd on Sunday. “Boy, that must have been a painful day of his life.”

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At the time, McConnell had said it should not be surprising that he would get behind the Republican nominee. But before the election, a new book reminded voters of his true feelings for Trump.

In “The Price of Power” by Michael Tackett, deputy Washington bureau chief of The Associated Press, it was reported that McConnell referred to Trump at times as a “sleazeball”, “stupid”, “erratic”, a “despicable human being” and a “narcissist”.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on our Fox News Digital Election Center.