The race to replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who is retiring in November, has already begun. But choosing a successor for the longtime Republican leader is likely to be a difficult process.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) first entered the fray on Thursday, sending a message to his colleagues informing them of his intention to run. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said Friday he was “seriously considering” a bid, along with Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Minority Whip John Thune. (Republican, South Dakota) is among those considering a bid. Run.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump reportedly wants National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Steve Daines (R-Mont.) to fill the position.
And with McConnell at the helm through the spring, summer and fall, it’s not immediately clear who his successor will be. The structure of the race to succeed him has the potential for a long and nasty battle for the top Senate Republican position, with fundamental divisions between the rank-and-file and populist wing of the establishment Republican Party at stake. It makes things complicated.
Just in: https://t.co/UfCLQiBZ2K
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 28, 2024
A group of 10 Republican senators sent It sent a letter to Barrasso on Thursday asking for a meeting “the week of March 18 to develop the mission and goals of the conference and develop a process for selecting new leadership.”
A sense of how muddy the looming dogfight will become was felt on Wednesday, when rumors swirled that Mr. Cornyn might run. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, attacked Cornyn with critical tweets and threatened a preliminary challenge against him in 2026.
“‘Coryn’ is anti-Trump, anti-gun, and will have a hard time being an effective leader as he focuses on a competitive primary in 2026,” Paxton wrote. “The Republican Party deserves its next leader, and Texans also deserve a conservative senator.”
that would be difficult @JohnCornyn He is anti-Trump, anti-gun, and is expected to be an effective leader as he focuses on the intense 2026 primary election. The Republican Party deserves better from its next leader, and Texans deserve another conservative senator. https://t.co/IKJYcoXzat
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) February 29, 2024
Ryan Fournier, Trump Student Body President; answered Paxton’s tweet telling Cornyn, “There’s no need to bother trying this.”
.@JohnCornyn – No need to bother trying this.
Just like it’s Independence Day, we’ll be calling out to everyone and playing the red, white, and blue courtesy.
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) February 29, 2024
Cornyn fired back at Paxton. confronting Two counts of securities fraud.
“Escape from prison is tough, Ken,” he wrote.
It’s hard to escape from prison, Ken. https://t.co/6oQ3oMqjCN
— Sen. John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) February 29, 2024
Cornyn waited to endorse Trump until after the New Hampshire primary, but has made some interesting endorsements since announcing his candidacy for party leadership, a sign of his desire to make inroads with the populist wing of the Senate. there is a possibility. On Friday night, Arizona fire brand Kali Lake announced in an emailed press release that Mr. Cornyn and Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and James Risch (R-Idaho) The state announced its support.
“Joe Biden and Ruben Gallego have destroyed our economy, made our streets less safe, and failed to secure our border. Kali Lake will get our economy back on track and complete our border wall. Arizona I’m proud to endorse her for state senate,” Cornyn said.
Also Friday, Mr. Scott said he was considering a bid for the job after challenging Mr. McConnell for it at the beginning of the 118th Congress.
Scott: “This is a big opportunity.” Said Charlie Kirk on his eponymous show Friday. charlie kirk show. “In fact, the Republican Party could be run in the Senate by someone who believes in this country and believes in solving this country’s problems.”
Scott said he is “seriously considering” running for office, stressing that if Republicans win a majority in November, there is a chance for “significant change” because they are in a solid position.
Scott signed the letter and also explained the purpose of the meeting requested by Barrasso, stressing that it was to decide “what we stand for.”
“That’s step one, and then it becomes very easy. If that’s what we support, who are we going to elect for it…do we want to secure our borders, balance the budget? “Do we want to keep it that way, or do we want to avoid getting into eternal war?” he said.
Mr. Scott went on to assert that he is not the right person for the job if we as Republicans want to continue with the “Mitch McConnell Plan.”
Exclusive – Donald Trump: Mitch McConnell’s health issue is ‘sad’, he should resign pic.twitter.com/Ibw1JZuPJd
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) July 30, 2023
“If you want to continue on the same path you’ve been on, don’t choose me. I’m not going to do that,” he said.
Thune, who is currently McConnell’s No. 2, told reporters Thursday that he is in talks with senators about running.
“I’ve been having a lot of conversations with my colleagues and getting inside information from them about where they think they’re going in the future and what they want from the next Senate Republican leader. . It’s a great conversation,” Thune said, according to The Hill.
Like Cornyn, Thune was late to support Trump, only voting for him last week. What made the timing even more interesting was that it came just days before McConnell announced his impending retirement.
Breitbart News policy reporter Sean Moran described Thune’s “checkered history” with the former president in an article Tuesday, including a review of Trump’s “policies, tactics, and… He emphasized that he had often criticized his ability to win against opponents in the past. ”
Asked about Cornyn’s candidacy announcement, Thune quipped, “I think these are the worst-kept secrets in Washington right now.”
Now, the final match of “Three Johns”, Barrasso. Mr. Barrasso is in a unique position compared to Mr. Thune and Mr. Cornyn, both of whom are term-limited members of the second-ranking Republican party. But Barrasso is eligible for the job as Politico’s Burgess Everett. pointed It’s a potential crossroads for Barrasso.
Mr. Barrasso has not publicly decided on his plans and seems genuinely unsure, according to people familiar with party dynamics. In contrast to Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Thune’s announcements this week, Mr. Barrasso plans to determine his own schedule, according to a person familiar with Mr. Barrasso’s thinking.
In doing so, he would effectively freeze the field for the remaining down-ballot races. According to party rules, each senator can run for one office in the leadership election scheduled to be held after the general election.
Reports that Mr. Barrasso, who endorsed Mr. Trump in January before the Iowa caucuses, would “decide on his own schedule” further indicate that Mr. McConnell’s choice of successor is long-term, not immediate. It shows.
Finally, Mr. Daines is now leading the national effort to restore the Republican majority and amassing America First fighters to his list of endorsed candidates.
politiko reported Thursday that Daines has received encouragement from the 45th president to run. Daines thanked the president and said he told Trump, “The most important thing I can do right now is make sure we have a majority in the Senate in November.”
And that business will come to an end just as McConnell steps down as coach and some of Daines’ hand-picked reinforcements could arrive in January.
