Senate GOP campaign chief challenges McConnell over Ukraine, border strategy

Senate GOP campaign chief Steve Daines (R-Mt.) challenged Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) several times behind closed doors this week over the political wisdom of moving forward with a Ukraine and Israel funding package without border security reforms, a path McConnell endorsed Tuesday. Daines, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, warned his colleagues that advancing a bill to provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel without provisions to secure the southern border would hurt Senate Republican candidates, according to senators who attended the meetings. Some of those candidates are emphasizing the need to secure the border and…