Republicans brace for Mitch McConnell succession fight with Senate won

With Republicans backmost successful power of nan Senate, nan existent play originates adjacent week erstwhile lawmakers return to Washington.

Three contenders are jockeying to win Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) arsenic GOP leader: Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida.

The activity ballot is slated to return spot Nov. 13.

McConnell, nan longest-serving statement leader successful Senate history, announced successful February he would measurement down from nan domiciled pursuing this year’s elections.

The mild-mannered Kentucky sage had a bitter falling retired pinch erstwhile President Donald Trump during nan aftermath of nan 2020 election, prompting nan second to occasionally lash retired astatine McConnell and hurl racially-tinged attacks against his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

Trump, 78, has mostly been acold much chummy pinch House Republican activity than their Senate peers, but that move whitethorn alteration depending connected who senators prime to lead them.

Scott, who unsuccessfully challenged McConnell aft nan 2022 midterms, is seen arsenic nan underdog successful nan race, while Thune and Cornyn person worked intimately pinch McConnell and adhere to nan Kentuckian’s marque of accepted Republican politics.

McConnell has refrained from meddling successful nan title and very fewer Republican senators person publically endorsed a contender frankincense far. Many person indicated that they are still undecided.

Trump has besides declined to publically endorse a contender.

“The president evidently has tremendous influence, if he chooses to usage it,” Thune mused connected Fox News Wednesday.

All 3 contenders quickly heralded Trump’s triumph and vowed to thief enact his agenda.

“It is critically important that nan Senate is prepared to enact his pro-growth schedule from time one. Come January, we must beryllium fresh to corroborate his nominees, walk a budget, reside our debt, widen nan Trump taxation cuts, and reverse Kamala Harris’ disastrous separator information policies,” Cornyn said successful a statement.

Thune said, “The incoming Senate Republican mostly will activity hand-in-hand pinch nan Trump-Vance management to little costs for families, unafraid our confederate border, and renew America’s power dominance.”

Meanwhile, Scott spokesperson McKinley Lewis declared that nan Sunshine Stater “will bring Florida’s winning blimpish grounds to Washington and beryllium a existent state to President Trump to execute his schedule and fundamentally alteration nan guidance of this country.”

Scott was successful complaint of nan Senate Republicans’ charismatic run arm, nan National Republican Senatorial Committee, during nan 2022 midterms — successful which nan statement dramatically underperformed expectations.

McConnell, who was elected to nan Senate successful 1984, is wide seen arsenic a personnel of nan much accepted helping of nan Republican Party, skeptical of Trump’s marque of economical populism and “America First” isolationism.

The Kentuckian’s word ends astatine nan commencement of 2027 and he hasn’t said whether aliases not he will tally again successful 2026.

“I deliberation this is nan astir vulnerable clip since correct earlier World War II,” McConnell told reporters Wednesday astatine a property convention during which he exulted complete nan coming Republican Senate takeover.

“One of nan astir gratifying results of nan Senate becoming Republican,” he said, “[is] nan filibuster will stand, location won’t beryllium immoderate caller states admitted that will use nan different side. And we’ll discontinue beating up nan Supreme Court.”

Other Senate activity contests

Republicans will besides elite 2 different members of nan statement level adjacent week.

Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) is vying for nan station of Senate Majority Whip and has Trump’s endorsement successful that race.

Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) are jockeying to win Barrasso successful nan domiciled of Senate Republican Conference chair.