When it became clear that most Republican voters remained loyal to Trump, however, GOP leaders reverted to appeasement. McCarthy underwent a “head-snapping reversal,” ceasing all criticism of Trump’s antidemocratic behavior and soon visiting him at Mar-a-Lago. In the end, McCarthy was among the 197 House Republicans who voted against impeachment, and McConnell joined the 43 of 50 Senate Republicans who voted for acquittal. Led by McConnell, Republican senators blocked the creation of an independent commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection. This was textbook semi-loyalty.
