Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is officially running for chair of the Senate Republican Conference, running against Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) for the position.
Her party leadership position ranks third in the Senate Republican Conference, one notch higher than her current position.
Chairman of the Republican Party Policy Committee.
according to politikoErnst believe This race is “absolutely” winnable.
“Definitely, this is a winnable thing for me. And we shouldn’t be afraid of elections,” Ernst said, identifying himself as an outsider.
“I was not the establishment’s chosen candidate,” the Iowa Republican said. “I’ve always been an outsider.”
This is all part of a broader change across Republican leadership. The Senate leadership is in the spotlight after the longest-serving Senate leader in history, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), announced that he would step down from his position at the end of this Congress.
“I turned 82 last week,” McConnell told colleagues on the Senate floor. “My contribution ends here. [sic] It’s closer than I would prefer. ”
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) confronts Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell after McConnell freezes and stops speaking during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., July 26, 2023. (R-Ky.) reached out to support him. . (Drew Angerer/Getty)=
“Trust me, I know the politics within the party at this particular moment,” McConnell said. “I have many flaws. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them.”
“But this is the year 2024, and as the book of Ecclesiastes tells us, there is a season and a time to everything under heaven for every purpose,” the senator said.
“One of the most underrated talents in life is knowing when it’s time to move on to the next chapter of your life. So I stand before the President and my colleagues today and say this is my role as Republican leader. “This will be his last term in office,” the announcement sparked mixed reactions across the political spectrum, with many conservatives calling for his early resignation. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri):
I called on Mr. McConnell to resign more than a year ago. This is good news.But why wait so long – we need new leaders now https://t.co/IG7wgaNI6Z
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) February 28, 2024
RELATED — Mitch McConnell to resign as Senate Republican leader in November
us senate
Sens. John Thune (R-South Dakota) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are running for Mr. McConnell’s job, as is Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who currently chairs the conference. is running for Senate Republican whip.
“This gives me time to reflect on how I can best serve the Republican Conference and our country,” Barrasso said in a statement. “After much consideration, I will seek the support of my colleagues and ask them to work for me as an assistant to the Republican leadership.”
