McConnell spokesman David Popp released a statement on Friday, contending that the Majority Leader continues to oppose going to a simple majority, or 51 votes, to partially fund the border wall. Popp said not enough Senate Republicans support the measure.
Popp said:
The Leader has said for years that the votes are not there in the Conference to use the nuclear option. Just this morning, several senators put out statements confirming their opposition, and confirming that there is not a majority in the conference to go down that road.
Retiring Sens. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) all released statements on Friday, opposing the nuclear option to fund the wall.
“We have rules to follow. I want to put a stop to this practice of the Senate breaking its rules to change its rules,” Alexander said. “I will not vote to turn the Senate into a rule-breaking institution, and I hope that my colleagues will not.”
Not all Senate Republicans agree with the three retiring GOP lawmakers.