Republican senators gathered for more than two hours Tuesday night for a family meeting over who will succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
The candidate forum was hosted by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and allowed all three Republican leadership candidates to answer questions from their colleagues.
These candidates, Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), each gave opening remarks before addressing the Senate. Questions arose regarding the immediate and long-term direction of the company. and the Republican Conference.
None of the three candidates spoke in detail after the forum, but their colleagues praised the forum.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said, “One of the new members said, 'This is why I came here to have these types of high-quality discussions.'” “Not all people are like this,” he lamented.
Johnson appeared before the forum in Scott's place.
Several senators spoke about the importance of keeping the floor open for bill consideration, the need to allow debate on the Senate floor and within Republican senators, and the best leadership to move President Donald Trump's policies. We discussed strategy and style.
Most senators hid their preferences after the forum.
“I'm very impressed with my colleagues. We haven't seen any white smoke yet,” quipped Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) as he jumped into a Capitol elevator.
But for some senators, the forum was enough to make a decision.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) first told Breitbart News, “I'm going to support Rick.” She later elaborated on why in an exclusive interview with Breitbart.
“He's putting a lot of energy into making sure that President Trump's agenda passes,” Blackburn said. “I think it’s important that the energy is there and that there is a willingness to actively support and pass Trump’s policies.”
Lee, who promoted the forum, said afterward that he would support Scott, saying, “We are at a turning point in the history of the Senate, and we need aggressive reform.''
“The most vocal calls for reform have come from Rick Scott, and to me that is borne out not only by his voting record, but by the positions he has taken within the conference long before this campaign began. “It's consistent and consistent,” he said. reporters.
Lee believes that after President Trump's mandated election, all candidates need to work to move President Trump's policies.
“I think in the eyes of many people, including myself, Rick is probably a little more in line with the president's policies, but I don't necessarily think that other candidates are intentionally creating friction.” he said.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), a member of the South Dakota delegation and longtime friend who supports Thune, praised the forum and all three candidates.
“All three candidates have done a very good job. The differences between all three candidates are much smaller than many people realize,” he told reporters. Ultimately, he said, the difference is “simply a matter of style.” They all have different backgrounds. ”
The senators' choices have important implications far beyond President Trump's policies. McConnell has led Senate Republicans for 18 years, and the next leader could easily hold the job for more than a decade.
Republican lawmakers are scheduled to meet Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. ET and vote by secret ballot. With 53 senators and senator-elects voting, a winner would need 27 votes and multiple votes could be needed.
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News' Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
