Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that Republicans will keep the filibuster as the GOP is poised to take the majority in the chamber come 2025.
“One of the most gratifying results of the Senate becoming Republican: the filibuster will stand, there won’t be any new states admitted that will benefit the other side, and we’ll quit beating up the Supreme Court every time they make a decision we don't like," he said.
McConnell's comments alluded to proposals by Democrats to eliminate the filibuster to enshrine abortion rights throughout the U.S.
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McConnell has said he plans to step down as party leader when the new Congress is seated in January.
His party will have a majority after losing the majority following the 2020 election. As of midday Wednesday, Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ project that Republicans will hold at least 52 seats in the new Senate. Republicans will also have the added insurance of having incoming Vice President JD Vance as a potential tie-breaking vote.
There remain four tight Senate races left to be called, as of Wednesday.
McConnell credited the Senate Leadership Fund for raising $425 million to help Republicans flip seats in Ohio, Montana and West Virginia.
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"Clearly what they were doing over there is focusing on the places where we had the best chance to win, and I think the results pretty much prove they made a lot of wise decisions," he said.
Much of Donald Trump's agenda as the next president will hinge on getting the support of a Republican-led Senate. There are many issues McConnell and Trump haven't seen eye-to-eye on, such as providing aid to Ukraine in its battle with Russia. It was an issue McConnell dodged during his news conference on Wednesday.
