McConnell booed at GOP convention while pledging Kentucky’s delegates

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was met with boos from party members at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday when he pledged Kentucky’s delegates to former President Trump.

The Senate minority leader was met with a smattering of boos and cheers when he addressed the crowd, though the boos appeared to overpower the cheers. 

“Madame Chairman, the commonwealth of Kentucky proudly casts its 46 votes for the next President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,” McConnell said.

He announced in February that he will step down as Senate GOP leader after the November election, closing the book on more than 15 years of conference leadership. The 82-year-old made clear that he will not resign from the Senate, where his term is scheduled to end in January 2027.

McConnell has clashed with Trump for years, especially since the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. In the last year, the senator has been an advocate for supporting weapons shipments to Ukraine, which Trump has generally opposed.

Trump was officially named the Republican Party’s nominee for president on Monday, with Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) announced as his running mate.