Conservative Rep: Mitch McConnell Is ‘The Next Guy In The Crosshairs’

Arizona Republican Rep. Matt Salmon speaks to supporters at the Republican election night festivities Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) — a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, which was threatening a coup against House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) — said Friday that now that Boehner has announced his resignation, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is probably “the next guy in the crosshairs.”

“Mitch McConnell is infinitely worse as a leader than Boehner,” Salmon told reporters Friday. “He surrenders at the sight of battle every time.”

Boehner was under extreme pressure from the House Freedom Caucus, which was pushing for a government shutdown over Planned Parenthood funding. McConnell has put in motion a plan to avert the shutdown.

“I was texting back and forth with one of my friends on the Senate side, Mike Lee,” Salmon said, referring to the Utah senator. “And I said, the next guy in the crosshairs is probably going to be McConnell.”

He would not elaborate on Lee’s response.

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