House Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced plans to step down after his term expires in 2025, prompting Senate Republicans to limit their leadership as they prepare to elect a new leader in November. and avoiding unilateral decision-making have emerged as key concerns.
“We’ve been operating as a monarchy,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said of his leadership during more than a decade in Congress.
Republican senators expressed optimism about their aspirations for the next era of leadership after Wednesday’s GOP conference. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) insisted after the rally that “mission accomplished.”
Biden pushes Title IX changes, Republican senators reveal transgender sports findings
Earlier this month, Johnson sent a letter to Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Republican conference, asking the conference to develop goals for the party as it begins its search for its next leader. In an interview with Fox News Digital after Kentucky Republican McConnell’s announcement, Johnson expressed frustration with the conference’s lack of coordination under current leadership.
Senate Republicans are preparing to choose a new leader in November after Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced plans to step down after his term ends in 2025. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Those concerns were echoed by various other party members, including Mr. Cruz and Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
“I want someone who will talk to the members. I want someone who will listen to the members and not stay in the office in a bubble,” Hawley told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
Mr. Cruz said he was looking forward to “a conference that reflects the views of the majority of the conference, rather than just following the whims of the leaders and doing what they want.”
Schumer rejects Netanyahu’s request to meet with Democrats
Regarding term limits for Republican leadership, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is running for leadership, endorsed a “conference vote to change the rules” to enact the provision earlier this month. Following the statement, it was mentioned in the conversation. Many other Republican senators have since expressed support for the idea.
Hawley said McConnell “had a few things he wanted to say” during the meeting. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, noted that the minority leader has repeatedly expressed his opinion to conference members about term limits for the office. It’s worth noting that McConnell came out against Cornyn’s proposal ahead of the debate, telling reporters, “Well, now we have term limits. It’s called an election.”
Sen. Josh Hawley speaks during a Senate hearing at the Capitol on February 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Seneta)
“During the last leadership election, I myself campaigned,” he said, referring to Scott’s challenge in 2022.
McConnell’s office pointed to the remarks in an interview with Fox News Digital, but declined to comment further.
McConnell has led the party since he was first elected in 2007, but leadership elections have been held every two years with each new Congress.
Those concerns were expressed during the meeting, but the conversation ultimately turned out to be friendly and constructive, according to senators in attendance.
Senate Democrats could undermine Biden’s Muslim judicial nominees over ‘deeply concerning’ relationships
Multiple Republicans insisted there was no headbutting between conference members. “Actually, it was a little disappointing,” joked Sen. Thom Tillis, RN.C.
Scott, who has not been shy about criticizing McConnell and the leadership, agreed the conversation was good. “I think there is agreement that we need to think about how we work together,” he said. Scott has expressed interest in potentially running for leadership, but he has not made any official announcements.
Sen. Rick Scott leaves the Senate Republican luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on November 15, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
The two candidates already running are Mr. Cornyn and Sen. John Thune (R.S.D.). According to senators in attendance, both men took a back seat during the meeting. Prior to the meeting, Thune’s office shared that the conversation would be a listening session for him.
Many Republican senators said they thought such meetings would become more frequent as the new Congress begins in November. “I think this was the beginning of a conversation that will happen on a fairly regular basis between now and November,” Rubio said.
Bipartisan senators share concerns about TikTok after ‘strong’ national security briefing
Cruz and Republican Sen. Mike Braun echoed that sentiment. “They could have done it with just five senators to begin with,” the latter told FOX News Digital about the request for a meeting. “I didn’t know that. No one told me.”
Cruz said such meetings were never held because “Republican leadership wasn’t interested in what the meetings had to say.”
Sen. Ted Cruz attends a Senate Judiciary Committee markup on May 11, 2023 in Hartville. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
The candidates did not say whether they had decided who they would support for party leadership, but Hawley said he plans to support Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) for conference chairman. I made it. He said this was due to the support of Cotton, who helped the Missouri state senator pass a bill to compensate radiation victims. Mr Hawley even suggested to Mr Cotton that he should change his candidacy and run for leader. “Maybe Tom should run for leader,” he said, adding, “We need someone who actually gets it and is willing to listen to the members.”
The party also predicted that several more Republicans would join the leadership race, although they did not name them.
In response to questions, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines (R-Mont.) reiterated that despite speculation, “I have no desire to be the leader.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We want the majority back,” he said.
In an interesting development, Hawley said the meeting did not mention former President Trump, who has shown wide influence in the Republican Party both inside and outside of Congress. “When I was there, which was most of the time, I never heard his name once,” he recalled.
