Hannity slams McConnell for comments on ‘candidate quality’ in Senate races

Fox News host Sean Hannity went after Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) during his show Friday for comments the Senate minority leader made about the chances Republicans have to take control of the Senate in November.

McConnell said Thursday that he believes Republicans have a better chance of flipping the House than the Senate during the 2022 midterms, adding that “candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome” in Senate races.

Hannity slammed the remarks, saying that the seasoned GOP leader was leaving party members “out to dry.”

“Democrats are painting Republican Senate candidates in upcoming elections and midterms as cruel and out of touch,” Hannity said. “Well, apparently Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is content to leave them out to dry and fend for themselves. Listen to these comments, they’re very encouraging,” Hannity said facetiously before playing a clip of McConnell explaining his predictions.

“You don’t hear [Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)] complaining about candidate quality in Pennsylvania,” Hannity continued, referring to progressive candidate John Fetterman. “How about you get out there, Mitch, and fight for your team? What’s your agenda, Mitch, or would you rather just sit by and watch helplessly as Democrats lie to your face, pass another $500 billion green energy boondoggle?”

The Fox anchor suggested that McConnell may be pulling against Trump-backed candidates for personal reasons, as the former president has lashed out at McConnell since his 2020 loss and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

“His team as a leader needs to come to an end,” Hannity concluded.

The host’s comments come as recent polling shows Trump-backed GOP candidates Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Blake Masters (R), Mehmet Oz (R) and Herschel Walker (R) either trailing or locked in tight races in key midterm elections in Wisconsin, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia, respectively.