Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the leash Senate Republicans once held over him has snapped. Speaking as he worked to rally supporters of his Make America Healthy Again movement, Kennedy accused GOP senators of threatening to tank his nominees as a way to keep his agenda in check — and declared that threat no longer has teeth now that the midterms have come and gone.
Kennedy Says the Threats Are Over
According to The Washington Post, Kennedy accused Senate Republicans of seeking to block his agenda by threatening to oppose certain nominees. In remarks reported by The Epoch Times, Kennedy recounted Republican senators warning him directly: “If you do that, we're not going to confirm your appointees.” He framed that era as finished, telling reporters, “The Senate no longer has any leverage over me, and that's a big deal.”
Kennedy also said Stephen Miller had told him before the midterms that MAHA initiatives would move to the top of the priority list once the election was behind them, the same report notes. But pressed for specifics, Kennedy declined to list which developments he's now targeting, leaving the exact shape of his next moves unclear.
A Senate Track Record of Narrow Wins
The tension Kennedy describes has played out before in committee votes. Back in July, the Senate health committee approved Erica Schwartz's nomination to lead the CDC with support from every Republican plus Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, according to STAT. Sean Kaufman's nomination for assistant secretary for preparedness and response cleared the same committee on a party-line vote, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed. Both nominations were sent to the full Senate. Sen. Bill Cassidy, notably, said at the time that he could still hold up future health nominees, though his remaining time on Capitol Hill is limited.
MAHA's Rough Midterm Showing
Kennedy's declaration of new freedom comes against a backdrop of bruising midterm results for his movement. Democrats won control of both the House and Senate, per CNN, and MAHA-aligned candidates fared poorly across the map. Among 21 MAHA-endorsed candidates in federal races, 11 lost, six won and four races remained undeclared; in state races, 39 lost while 28 won. A $100 million plan had previously been announced for the movement.
Among the defeated were Republican allies of Kennedy himself. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa and Senate candidate Roger Marshall both lost their races, according to The Guardian. Some MAHA leaders expressed discontent with the administration's priorities.
Democrats Weigh Their Own Limits — and Overtures
The shifting landscape has prompted some MAHA activists to openly ask whether to recast their message to appeal to Democrats on bipartisan issues, CNN reported, with healthy food and environmental concerns floated as potential common ground.
Not every Democrat is looking for common ground with Kennedy. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks renewed her call for Kennedy to be removed from office, according to The Hill. It's a position she first staked out in September 2025, when she joined more than 20 Democratic senators demanding Kennedy's removal following a contentious Senate hearing.
