Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has decided that “he would not block a vote on a motion to proceed” on the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill, The Hill reports.
As Breitbart News reported late Monday night, a coalition of Tea Partiers and conservatives from all around the country banded together to call on lawmakers to do exactly what McConnell has decided not to do.
In the letter, the Tea Party coalition sent to members of Congress including McConnell, the group specifically asked lawmakers to block the vote on a motion to proceed.
“We urge you to vote against it and against any cloture vote to bring up the bill,” the group wrote. “Only then can a constructive, measured debate take place on how to improve America’s immigration policy.”
The Hill reported Tuesday that McConnell said: “With regard to getting started on the bill, it’s my intention — if there is a motion to proceed required — to vote for the motion to proceed so we can get on the bill and see if it we’re able to pass a bill that actually moves the ball in the right direction.”
“The Gang of Eight has made a substantial contribution to moving the issue forward,” McConnell added. “So far, I’m told that the Judiciary Committee has not in any fundamental way undone the agreement reached by the eight senators so I’m hopeful we’ll be able to get a bill we can pass here in the Senate.”
In a separate piece on Tuesday, The Hill noted that McConnell may face a primary challenge from a conservative Tea Party candidate as he is up for re-election in 2014 but has “taken steps to shore up his right flank, hiring [Sen. Rand] Paul’s former campaign manager Jesse Benton and appearing with Paul by his side in the state.”
If McConnell ends up coming down in favor of this bill that faces virulent opposition from the grassroots, conservative flank of the GOP in Kentucky may be able to field a challenger to fight against him.