(Jenny Starrs/TWP)The tense fight for control of the Republican Party showed new signs of volatility on Wednesday, with conservative activists attacking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell even as he signaled that he plans to intensify efforts to install conservative judges on the federal bench. Although McConnell is generally respected and well-liked by Republican senators, who determine their own leadership, some rank-and-file lawmakers have been hesitant of late to align themselves closely with him. In recent weeks, he has come under intense criticism from elsewhere in the party, including from allies and associates of Trump, most notably Bannon. McConnell’s job is not seen by Republican senators to be in immediate jeopardy, but the mounting attacks on him, which at times have come from Trump himself, have raised questions about his standing in the party. The extent to which Bannon will be coordinating his efforts with the activists who spoke Wednesday is not clear, however.

Source: Washington Post October 11, 2017 17:41 UTC