Mitch McConnell's behavior has been reprehensible.  He refused to support GOP candidates who could have helped Republicans win control of the Senate.  He is funding an internecine battle between GOP candidates in Alaska, favoring RINO Lisa Murkowski over conservative Kelly Tshibaka.  The Turtle is the swampiest of the swamp creatures.  He even has shadowy ties to Communist China.

But sometimes politics requires making deals with bad people.  Sometimes politics, for all its sordid nature, can offer a path to redemption.

McConnell has a narrow pathway to go from zero to hero.  He can once again thrust himself into position as GOP champion and help himself in the process.

First, he must immediately throw all of his support, all of his funding and all of his arm-twisting, favor-calling-in influence behind the Georgia runoff campaign of Herschel Walker.  This would cut against McConnell's nature.  Walker is a Trump protégé, and McConnell hates and works to undermine everything Trump stands for, which is why this act would be such an unexpected gesture and a credit in Mitch's favor.

Herschel Walker has a good chance to win.  He has great name recognition.  Most votes siphoned off by the Libertarian candidate should go to him.  He faces a weak and tainted opponent.

However, a win in Georgia would get the GOP only back to a 50/50 tie in the Senate.  With Kamala Harris as the president of the Senate voting to resolve ties in the Democrats' favor, a GOP victory in Georgia is big but still not big enough.

To earn full redemption, McConnell must facilitate a win in Georgia and then must complete a second labor of penance.  He must flip Joe Manchin from Democrat to Republican.  A win for Walker combined with turning Manchin will put the Senate under Republican control.  It would be a totally unexpected move that would shock Democrat politicians, media, and establishment fixtures everywhere.  It would resound like a canon shot through the halls of power from Washington down to every state and county party office.

Manchin may finally be susceptible to flipping sides.  Biden infuriated him recently by doubling down on his promise to "end" fossil fuels and wipe out the coal industry.  Schumer promised Manchin the sky to get his vote on the mis-named "Inflation Reduction" (AKA Green New Deal) Act.  Schumer backstabbed Manchin and reneged as soon as the bill passed.  Manchin knows he will face a steep uphill climb to be re-elected in West Virginia as a Democrat in 2024 but could likely coast to victory if he played for Team GOP instead.  Manchin will never have more leverage that he would have if control of the Senate hangs in the balance.  He could write his own ticket and enjoy sweet revenge.

Only McConnell could deliver these two feats.  McConnell controls committee chairmanship assignments, office perks, and other inducements to sweeten the deal for Manchin.  McConnell has deep pockets with control over GOP Senate election funds, plus his own well funded PAC.  As a longtime swamp dweller, McConnell knows where all the bodies are buried, who can be persuaded, and what would be his price.  He has relationships everywhere and can offer carrots and sticks as needed.

Above all else McConnell always does whatever advances the cause of Mitch McConnell.  If he were actually to deliver on these two accomplishments, he could catapult himself from being the embattled incumbent seeking reappointment as minority leader to the only clear choice for majority leader and reclaim the title of top GOP power broker.  He could even scratch his own biggest itch by throwing into Trump's face the fact that McConnell and not Trump delivered the Senate and thus saved the 2022 elections.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.