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Inside the Quiet Race to Succeed Mitch McConnell

Posted on Thursday, July 18, 2024
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by Aaron Flanigan
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While all the national focus understandably has been deadlocked on the November presidential horse race and looming rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, there is another less-covered race well underway on Capitol Hill—and it could have major implications for the next president, his congressional agenda, and the future of the Republican Party.

Earlier this year, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that he will step down from his post in January after serving as the party’s Senate Republican Conference leader for 17 years—making him the longest-serving Senate party leader in American history. While McConnell scored a number of noteworthy successes during his tenure, most notably ushering through Trump’s three Supreme Court picks and a record number of other federal judges, he has also had a streak of bitter clashes with Trump and Trump-allied senators in recent years.

Upon his departure from the top post in the caucus, many conservatives are hoping for a new direction more aligned with Trump’s America First platform – particularly eschewing endless foreign aid and more aggressively pushing back on Democrats’ extremist agenda.

Thus far, a trio of Republican senators—John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas, and Rick Scott of Florida—have officially tossed their hats in the ring to replace McConnell. Though Thune and Cornyn entered the race almost immediately following the announcement of McConnell’s retirement, Scott entered the arena in late May, sending a lightning rod into what was otherwise seen as an unexciting contest.

While the race itself is still in its early stages and control of the Senate looks to be entirely up for grabs with tossup races in the battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, by some indications Scott appears to be emerging as an early favorite due in large part to his ties to Trump. Thus far, Scott has received support from a handful of key conservative leaders, including former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

“Rick Scott is *BY FAR* the best choice among those running for Senate Republican Leader,” Ramaswamy wrote on X. “He also possesses a very rare quality in DC: caring about what voters actually want. I endorse him.”

Though other Republican senators have stopped short of issuing a formal endorsement, Scott has received words of encouragement from several of his colleagues. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) referred to Scott’s entry into the race as a “gamechanger,” praising his “positive, aspirational agenda” that represents the party’s legislative goals. Other members of the Senate’s conservative wing reacted similarly. “I couldn’t agree more,” Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) shared.

Predictably, Scott’s momentum has invited backlash from some McConnell allies, who see a prospective Scott victory as an existential threat to the McConnell legislative legacy, which many conservatives deride as being overly deferential to liberals and the Biden administration.

Though Trump has thus far declined to make an endorsement, prior to Scott’s entry, the former president encouraged Senator Steve Daines of Montana to jump in the race. While Daines, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has not ruled out a potential bid, he has up to this point declined to formally enter, instead pledging to focus his time and energy on ensuring Republicans win a Senate majority this fall.

Additional senators could also step in following the November election—all depending on what happens at the ballot box. But with just under four months until Election Day and six months until the new Congress is sworn in, how the race progresses and eventually ends up is anyone’s best guess.

Regardless, however, the outcome of the race to succeed McConnell is sure to have dramatic implications for the future of the Republican Party. If current polls prove accurate, the GOP is poised to hold the House and win back the Senate and White House, giving Republicans a governing trifecta for the first time since 2018.

If this indeed comes to pass, after four years of Biden administration failures Republicans cannot afford to waste any time in implementing the pro-growth, anti-inflationary agenda that President Trump has outlined and that they have promised to the American people. Along with Trump, the next Republican Senate leader will play a pivotal role in showing the country what a truly America First government looks like.

Ultimately, Republicans like Scott—flanked by stalwart conservative leaders like Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, Josh Hawley, and others—are slowly but surely leading the Senate GOP out of the establishment mold that has for too long hindered the party’s ability to effectively represent its constituents. If Scott’s current momentum holds through November or otherwise shifts to another ideologically aligned alternative, it may soon be that an America First approach is the rule, rather than the exception, for Senate Republicans.

Aaron Flanigan is the pen name of a writer in Washington, D.C.

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Nitecat
Nitecat
4 months ago

Scott would be by far the best choice, especially bearing in mind that Florida is a very populous state, and Cornyn is way too moderate for the real Texas.

David Gaines
David Gaines
4 months ago

never cornyn. absolutely corrupt

James
James
4 months ago

Cornyn is a absolute joke. He never does anything except suck up to Mitch. What a waist of tax payers dollars. I don’t think he has ever had a original thought in his head.

PaulE
PaulE
4 months ago

What is needed is a leader that stands up for the people of the United States in terms of policies that minimize the impact of government in everything versus the so-called “process must be preserved types” like McConnell and way too many others on the GOP side. Someone with an actual spine and a set of real-world convictions in what it takes to get the country back to some small semblance of the republic we used to be. Someone who will stand up for what is right instead of racing to “walk across the aisle” to support inherently bad legislation and spending bills championed by the Democrats just so he can say he “got something done”. That is how McConnell and his 17 or 18 pals in the Senate have run things with him in charge. Of the people mentioned in the above article, only Scott potentially meets most of those criteria. The rest would just be younger versions of Mitch and would be hindrance to both the American people and President Trump.

Theresa Coughlin
Theresa Coughlin
4 months ago

senate republicans need a leader who will stand for conservative principles and not cave to the democrats and give them everything they want, country be damned,

GMA
GMA
4 months ago

Mc Connell is another Biden..he must go!

Ken
Ken
4 months ago

Rick Scott is far and away the only choice to insure Trump will get legislation passed in the Senate supporting the MAGA agenda. The other two are RINO’s that have insured “conservative issues” are never enacted while campaigning with the Democrats (ie. “Uniparty” collaborators that serve the big “donors” and “lobbyists”). Just look at the voting record of these three and you’ll discover how they “walk-the-talk”. Bottom line – Rick Scott for Majority, or Lord help us, Minority Leader!

Tammy Sikes
Tammy Sikes
4 months ago

I will NEVER vote for cornyn again for anything! He is a traitor who sided with the demonrats for more control.

Veteran
Veteran
4 months ago

If she makes it into the Senate Kari Lake would be the clear conservative choice!

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
4 months ago

Need New Blood for GOP Senate now

William Hodge
William Hodge
4 months ago

None of these 3 are acceptable as leader. Cornyn is especially wrong for any post as he is anti 2nd amendment. Thune has voted in a manner that isn’t always acceptable. Scott talks a lot but has he really done anything.

Wanda
Wanda
4 months ago

I’d like to see Rand Paul jump into that race.

GMK
GMK
4 months ago

While MM is long past his expiration date, the author does list some accomplishments – “McConnell scored a number of noteworthy successes during his tenure, most notably ushering through Trump’s three Supreme Court picks and a record number of other federal judges…”.
In my opinion, MM’s single most impactful accomplishment was preventing confirmation hearings from going forward to fill Antonin Scalia’s seat on SCOTUS with Merrick Garland. Just look at the damage he has done as Attorney General, and the blatant weaponization of the Justice Department is only the tip of the iceberg. Can you imagine the damage he could have wrought with a lifetime SCOTUS appointment?

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
4 months ago

I don’t have strong opinions of MM but if he is mentally/physically incapable of perfirming his duties, (and this goes for all those dinosaurs in office) he should resign.

Gina
Gina
4 months ago

Regardless of who gets the position, they MUST go along with Trump’s policy agenda. Had they done that while Trump was in office the first time, many Americans would have experienced a different Trump. But they didn’t they fought him at every turn. I hope Trump has learned.

Gina
Gina
4 months ago

I’m not certain about Scott, I didn’t like what he did in Florida. However, regarding, Cornyn, he is an absolute joke. He needs to be gone, just like Biden and his ilk.

Deanna
Deanna
4 months ago

Senator Dains from Montana has my vote. Absolutely NOT John Cornyn. He is a snake.

George M
George M
4 months ago

Rick Scott looks like a winner to me. Replacing McConnel with one of his lieutenants is no change at all. Republicans are sick and tired of tone deaf leaders who think they know better than the voters. Spending money in Alaska to get his candidate elected rather than using that money (our money donated to elect republicans) to be sure republicans had a Senate majority was a colossal error by any measure. Very glad to see Mitch go and definitely don’t want more of the same.
At the same time McConnell has done some great work for republicans over the years and clearly deserves a hearty thank you for your service on his way out, could we arrange that later this week?

mikem
mikem
4 months ago

thune and cornyn both rino’s and as we know rinos gotta go.

John
John
4 months ago

First let me set something straight: the president and vice president cannot be from the same state that’s in the constitution
Now need stronger leadership in the senate and house. I’m not opposed to compromise but let’s not lose our principles in the primary

Phil Ketch
Phil Ketch
4 months ago

The republican senate leader needs to be someone other than a little McConnell that will carry on his rhino agenda, they need someone that will put America and the American citizens 1st then help others.

Ross
Ross
4 months ago

Very good article

JML
JML
4 months ago

Although Thune is extremely popular in his home state, he is a MASSIVE rino, so do your homework before voting!

Shari
Shari
4 months ago

Absolutely NOT Cornyn!!!

anna hubert
anna hubert
4 months ago

Unless congress and senate receive a blood transfusion total complete it matters not who replaces whom Nothing will change unless all the antiquities are dug out and put where they belong

John Shipway
John Shipway
4 months ago

Cornyn, Thune and Scott are MAGA? B.S., to a man the three are all corporatist war whores owned by the Military Industrial Complex who never viewed a foreign citizen they didn’t want to first rob, then kill or, kill and then rob.
I am so glad President Trump didn’t go the Affirmative Action route and choose Rick Scott. Politicians like Scott and the other two mentioned are already responsible for killing more civilians than Smallpox has.
Let us use the almost 1 trillion dollars we currently outlay every year on a defense budget funding a military that is the laughing stock of the planet. MAYBE then the wife and I won’t have to eat re-hydrated spaghetti noodles flavored with a pat of cheap margarine the last week to ten days of each month.
Just say what the acronym MAGA stands for. A hungry, bankrupt citizenry is not in any way “great”.

Sam
Sam
3 months ago

Why should we trade McConnell for Cornyn.We need a conservative voice not someone different to follow the democrats. We really need term limits for the house and senate.

Pat R
Pat R
4 months ago

I sure hope the last paragraph comes to be the outcome. It would be GREAT to have Congress all about what’s best for America rather than themselves. But it will be the GOP only. The Dems have more of a “what’s best way for America’s image and power among other nations to go away and die.

Veteran
Veteran
4 months ago

World War I lasted from 28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918, how is that “…three years later…”? Common core math?

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