Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told Breitbart News through a spokesperson Monday morning that he has “grave concerns” about the immigration plan the Senate just introduced.
“I have seen the text and have questions and serious concerns,” Cornyn said in a statement to Barron’s.
As Breitbart News asked a Cornyn spokesperson, Cornyn’s comments were not an outright statement that he would oppose or vote for the bill, but that Cornyn is currently -The fact that Sen. Lankford (R-Okla.) has publicly expressed “serious concerns” about his plan is likely a sign of this. It’s my fault that he ended up supporting it.
As Breitbart News previously reported, Cornyn backed Lankford during the negotiations and said Republicans had “unique influence” during the process, making him unique to the plan. Mr. Cornyn’s decision to voice his doubts and concerns is a reversal of sorts for him as well.
Are you serious, Lankford? https://t.co/5e8dJ×HXLl pic.twitter.com/ZNpdZXcaRx
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 5, 2024
But after the bill’s language was released Sunday night, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement that it was “worse than we expected,” Cornyn read the mood and backed off his opponents. It seems like he’s letting it happen. However, it remains to be seen whether he will vote against it, although his initial reaction to it seems to suggest that he will vote against it.
Cornyn is also likely trying to keep alive a potential bid for Senate Republican leader when the day comes to replace longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. Cornyn, along with Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota), have been frequently talked about as possible replacements.
Mr. Thune similarly supported Mr. Lankford during the negotiation process, but has not made his position clear now that the contents of the bill have been made public, and, as Mr. Johnson pointed out, is less clear about his position than previously reported. The content is “bad”.
But Barrasso has been a vocal critic of it throughout the process and is expected to join most Republicans in opposing it.
But Mr. McConnell has been very supportive of Mr. Lankford throughout the process and is expected to support the deal. But no matter what happens in the Senate, Prime Minister Johnson has made it clear that the bill is dead on arrival and will never be voted on in the U.S. House of Representatives.
