On November 8, and in some places, a month before, and in other places, a month after, Americans will go to the polls, or random boxes in the streets, or their local post office, and vote for their Congresspeople.

With everything belonging to the Democrats right now, the House and Senate both need to pick up enough Republicans to reintroduce gridlock into our system. (Because I think we can all agree our government is most successful when it gets nothing done.)

However, this isn’t the most important election of our time. It’s not even the most important election in the next three months.

The most important election will happen if (or when) the Republicans take back the House and Senate. If the Republicans don’t replace Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell – especially Mitch McConnell, we’ll know that the opportunity will be squandered, and we’ll be doomed to two more interminable years (after decades of non-existent, or horribly inept, Republican marketing efforts).

Mitch McConnell has proven he is absolutely not a conservative, nor is he supportive of conservative causes. He can and will do everything in his power to undermine conservatives and maintain the feckless opposition stance he has taken for decades.

It’ll be a nice speed bump to give the two houses of Congress back to Republicans. But unless it comes with replacing at least Mitch McConnell, we may as well not even bother.

The question is, do conservatives and Republicans alike finally understand this? Can they muster the courage to not approach the majority leader positions like a union and instead treat it like a meritocracy?

Put the most effective leaders in those positions and start going on offense.