For the third time in three weeks, former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had a scathing explanation after he voted "no" on a Trump nominee. Why it matters: Freed from his leadership role and with a long history of antagonism between himself and President Trump,

McConnell was hardly alone among Senate Republicans in raising doubts about Gabbard, Kennedy and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose confirmation he opposed last month. Several colleagues who hail from the same traditionalist wing of the GOP aired similar concerns about those nominees’ fitness for office.

The Senate approved Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services on a largely party line vote on Thursday.