Welcome to the beat. I'm Ari Melbert. And here's a new number out of Washington.

Ten. That's how many Republican senators voted to fire Mitch McConnell as their party leader.

Now, one might ask how many have voted against McConnell in past leadership races?

Is this a big, new, different number, a trend that means something?

Well, let's start with the facts and the numbers

as we try to do around here because the answer is telling. Ten is the most public, highest public

number of Republican senators to ever oppose McConnell for leader since he became leader a full

15 years ago because this is the first time Republicans have even

mounted a formal challenge to McConnell as leader, let alone one that now

tonight in the news, I'm reporting for you, Drew, one fifth of the GOP

caucus, one out of five Republican senators saying fire Mitch. So the vote itself is

secret. McConnell did retain his post, and he may spend

some energy trying to figure out who those opponents are, but some did already announce themselves

in public as they tried to fuel the uphill bid against McConnell by Senator Rick Scott.

So we need new leadership in the Republican Party in Washington.

This is why I will not support Mitch McConnell for leader.

Are you yourself backing Mitch McConnell?

I don't recall.

Well, look, I think we ought to have to figure out.

Like you, Larry, I think what we have to do is say, what do we do going forward?

I am so pissed off.

I cannot even see straight.

...