Following Donald Trump’s historic victory on Tuesday night that brought with it a GOP Senate majority, another upcoming election has taken on an added degree of importance – the race to replace Mitch McConnell as the Republican leader in the Senate.
McConnell announced earlier this year that he would step down as leader after 17 years atop the Republican Senate Caucus, setting up a secret ballot election on November 13 to replace him. Whoever takes on the role will be in prime position to become Senate Majority Leader next January and play a critical role in working with Trump to enact key parts of his agenda, including tax cuts and securing the border.
Three names have emerged as the most likely candidates for the post – John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas, and Rick Scott of Florida. While Thune and Cornyn entered the race almost immediately following McConnell’s retirement announcement in February, Scott entered the arena in late May, sending a lightning rod into what was otherwise seen as an unexciting contest.
Thune, a fourth-term senator and the current Senate Republican Whip, enjoys close relationships with a number of old-guard Republicans, and has called the leadership race a chance for a “reset.” Cornyn, meanwhile, is an expert political operator as the fourth-longest tenured Republican. He has also developed a reputation as a prolific fundraiser – something which could go far with his Senate colleagues.
For much of the race, Scott – who just cruised to a 13-point re-election victory – has been considered a slight favorite due in large part to his ties to Trump. “Scott,” ABC News recently reported, “is a longtime friend of Trump’s and has positioned himself as a strong ally. Scott traveled to New York to support Trump during Trump’s hush money trial. Trump could endorse Scott in the contest, potentially winning more votes for the Florida senator or giving him leverage to influence the race.”
Thus far, Scott has received support from a handful of key conservative leaders, including former presidential candidate and top Trump surrogate 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 most other Republican senators have stopped short of issuing a formal endorsement, Scott has received words of encouragement from several of his colleagues. 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 in response to Lee’s comments. More formal endorsements could come in the days ahead now that the election is over and control of the Senate has been determined.
Predictably, Scott’s momentum in the race has invited backlash from some McConnell allies, who see a prospective Scott victory as a stark departure from the McConnell legislative legacy, which many conservatives deride as being overly deferential to liberals and the Biden-Harris administration.
Following McConnell’s long streak of bitter clashes with Donald Trump and other MAGA-aligned Republicans, many figures within the emerging “new right” coalition of the conservative movement view McConnell’s exit—and next week’s leadership race—as a long-overdue opportunity to usher the old guard GOP establishment out the door.
Following Trump’s victory, an endorsement from the president-elect would likely be the deciding factor in the race, although he could also choose to not make an official endorsement. Prior to Scott’s entry into the race, Trump had encouraged Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) to vie for the job. Daines, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, declined to run, instead pledging to focus his time and energy on ensuring Republicans won a Senate majority – which they did in resounding fashion.
Whoever wins the post, it will be of vital importance that the Senate GOP remains united on key legislation, particularly if Republicans win control of the House (votes are still being counted in dozens of races). Democrats were able to pass sweeping legislation during Biden’s first two years because they were united – the GOP will have to be equally united to undo that damage.
Ultimately, what matters most is that the next GOP Senate leader is committed to Trump’s America First agenda. The center of gravity in the caucus has shifted away from the old guard establishment since 2016, but the leadership has at times remained stubbornly rooted in an outdated ideology.
If Scott or another senator aligned with the “new right” claims the mantle, it may soon be that an America First platform is the rule, rather than the exception, for Senate Republicans.
Aaron Flanigan is the pen name of a writer in Washington, D.C.
Cornyn is a RINO who signed on to the wasteful pork budget that hamstrung the GOP House. Thune started well but has gone RINO as well. Rick Scott is MAGA and is the best choice of the three!
Cornyn is a $&@@$ RINO!!! I’ll take Ted Cruz over that traitor any day.
Rick Scott is best choice of those listed.
No more “old guard” politics. That is why we elected Donald Trump. ALL politicians, lobbyists and everyone else that feeds in the swamp need to sit up and either change their ways or get out! They need to understand that they are there to work for US, not to get rich and have a lifelong career like Pelosi and Schumer and McConnell. We need to get back to the politicians serving we the people. On both sides of the aisle. I changed my voter registration to Independent when the congressional majority in 2017-2018 WASTED two years of a majority getting nothing done. I still vote Republican but the RNC and party members need to get their SH** together and remember who they work for!
Scott is the only one of the group who would truly produce “change”, the others are swamp creatures- Rhinos
Whoever wins the Senate speakership must truly align with Trump’s vision for our country FIRST, and not be swayed by the Democrat’s love in “dole-outs” to foreign countries. Our people needs help very badly.
My attention is still on the House, and as I write this, I haven’t checked for updates on the remaining races. If the crybaby liberals take the majority, we can expect the same four years of BS they hurled at Trump during his first term.
Two RINO’o and one MAGA. we don’t need any more rinos. Would be nice if the republicans actually represented us instead of them selves. What I remember best is when they were going to repeal Obama care for 8years they voted to repeal knowing they could not and when they could do it they changed their mind because Trump would sign it
cornyn a loser deluxe and friend of the left, absolutely not this rino because it will be like mcconnell never left.
Both Thune and Cornyn have long experience, but have maybe been around too long. McConnell also fits that description and is overdue for retirement. I agree with Trump’s America First agenda and needs like minded people to support him.
Still waiting on the state with the lowest population in America to count… sorry folks: Republican Governor but Democrats running Nevada!
Difficult, . . . . YES!
I would support Senator Rick Scott, a fighter, sincere, has a strong reputation, spending and legislation controls are strengths, business back ground, and other traits needed. All three will be good +, and the choice is strongly edged by fortitude, grit, right from wrong, willingness to compromise for the right reasons, and to hold the Republicans and dems to the leadership of President Trump, consistency, stand up to the whacko democrats, many of whom who should be gone, and to ALL, be American or get the hell out!:
BECOME AMBASSADORS TO AMERICAN CITIZENS AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT BY THEM. They vote, provide the money, serve, fight, and stand as proof that citizens are the focus not the politicians. A lot to fix and fix we will, but 535 (congress) at war with one another is no longer allowed.
Just say NO to McConnell’s coven. Scott is the only option for a departure from what the Senate was.
Mitch McConnell is a lap dog of UpChuck Schumer, who occasionally does something right as a republican. He holds the purse strings of the NRSC(National Republican Senatorial Committee) donation slush fund. He used the donations to back rino republican candidates, against the states voters, so he would have new Senators that he could control, and that’s why there is no strong pushback to democrats in the senate.
Senator John Cornyn is one of those rino Senators that obey McConnell instead of the citizens of Texas. He has a poor record of voting conservative principles, and is an old man much like McConnell. He will continue in McConnell’s footsteps.Thune is an obedient servant of McConnell. Neither deserve to be the people’s speaker in the Senate
I’m from South Dakota and I DO NOT want Thune as Senate Majority Leader. He is Mitch. 2.0, Cornyn is a RINO.
Rick Scott is the clear choice….he’s MAGA.
Let’s not hobble Trump with Thune or Cornyn! Do we want change or more of the same?
RINO Losers see “a prospective Scott victory as a stark departure from the McConnell legislative legacy.” That legacy is devastating trail of failures. Excluding what McConnell did with Federal judges, he’s been a wimpy POS disaster. It was always, “his way or the highway” come hell or high water Mitch would burn his own party if he didn’t get his way. Thune and Cornyn are just as bad – wimpy get along to go along. If one of them takes the Majority Leadership role, they will help undermine Trump’s MAGA movement. We need new visionary blood!!
No one is interested in “the old guard”, least of all, rank and file Texans. I predict Cornyn will be swept out of office, having sided against Ken Paxton, like the Bush guy he is.
We chose a president of a different feather ,he does not blend in with the rest of the DC flock. Lets have a speaker of the same quality not just replace one relic with another.
Cornyn is a close ally of McConnell. It is time for the Republicans to send them to the trash heap and go with someone who embraces the wishes of a majority of the Republican party.
Just do not undo the 60 vote rule, whatever the temptation. Find and court moderate Democrats to support your legislation. Give moderate Democrats power and influence in their own Democrat ranks. Do not let the conservative press gloat over any pro-Trump Democrat support. Use your mandate to persuade; do not force any issue. That is the only way to retain the Independent and former Democrat support for the Republican way. And that is a long term win for MAGA and Republicans. Prioritize the long term; not even 4 years of complete MAGA control will turn the government around completely.What has happened to the US has happened over generations of voters. It will take 20-40 years to completely undo.
I don’t know much about Thune, but I certainly hope that Cronyn from Texas does not win. He is too old guard establishment to hold the power of Senate Majority Leader. I much prefer Scott. I lived in Florida when Scott was governor. I now live in Texas. So I have knowledge of both men.
Cornyn may be a great money guy, which is critical, but he’s not a wartime consiglieri. And that’s what we need for the next two years, while we have the White House, Senate and (hopefully) House. This is the window that we need to take maximum advantage of, since we could lose either the Senate or, more likely, the House in 2026.
GET the Turtle out and Scott in.
MAGA all the way!
Is it possible that Vivek Ramaswamy could replace JD Vance as Ohio’s interim Senator? Would need another Republican Senator to replace Republican JD Vance.
I can’t understand why there would be a vote before new senators take their seat in the new year. Glad Mitch is FINALLY retiring!
Lets just hope that however all the shuffling turns out we don’t find ourselves in another Newt Gingrich scenario. Remember the “Contract with America” that accomplished nothing after we put them in power.