Mitch McConnell Endorses Trump After Haley Exits the Race

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is throwing his support behind former President Donald Trump after he dominated on Super Tuesday.

In a statement on Wednesday, McConnell said, "It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States."

"It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support," he continued.

McConnell added, "I look forward to the opportunity of switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people."

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1765400883964100697

Trump dominated the Super Tuesday primary states, winning 617 delegates. That gives him 893 of the 1,215 delegates he will need to officially clinch the nomination.

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley won just 23, and only won Vermont .

And after the primary night, Haley announced she would suspend her campaign for president -- but she did not endorse Trump.

"I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we've received from all across our great country, but the time has now come to suspend my campaign," she said in her speech.

Haley added, "I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard — I have done that. I have no regrets. And although I will no longer be a candidate, I will not stop using my voice for the things I believe in."

She also said Trump needs to "earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that... politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people. This is now his time for choosing."

McConnell's announcement also comes as week after he announced he will step down as the Senate Republican leader in November.

CNN's Manu Raju notes McConnell has not spoken to Trump since December 2020. In 2021, he insisted he would support Trump if the won the Republican primary.