McConnell says NH primary of ‘great interest’ but declines to endorse Trump amid mounting pressure

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday the New Hampshire primary results are of “great interest,” but that he has no news to report regarding an endorsement for former President Donald Trump. 

“I’ve stayed essentially out of it,” McConnell told reporters after the GOP luncheon. “But if I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”

McConnell’s comments come after a growing number of Senate Republicans have thrown in their support behind Trump in the 2024 presidential race ahead of the New Hampshire primary. Several GOP lawmakers are also calling on former South Carolina Nikki Haley to drop out of the race so the party can unite behind Trump becoming the Republican nominee. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former President Donald Trump (Getty Images)

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“I don’t have any news to make today,” McConnell asserted. “We’re watching New Hampshire with great interest.”

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., another Trump ally, said Tuesday, “there’s not a lot of love lost” between Trump and McConnell without an endorsement. 

“We all know that,” Tuberville said. “You hear the former president come after him, and the leader has not been very kind with his words.”

On Sunday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his presidential campaign in a video posted to X, subsequently endorsing Trump. 

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Nikki Haley and former President Trump have both been campaigning in New Hampshire ahead of the primary. (Getty Images | AP)

South Carolina Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham have also endorsed Trump, snubbing Haley, despite her being a former governor of the state from 2011-2017. Nearly a dozen other senators in the GOP have thrown their support behind Trump, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio. 

Last week, Trump secured a win in Iowa during the first contest of the 2024 presidential election cycle. 

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Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.