Who will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader? It remains deeply uncertain

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans vying to switch longtime leader Mitch McConnell person been crossing nan state to run and fundraise for colleagues, making their last arguments earlier a consequential ballot nan week aft nan statesmanlike election. But their pitches are mostly down closed doors, and astir GOP senators won’t yet opportunity which lawmaker they are backing.

South Dakota's John Thune, McConnell’s existent No. 2, and John Cornyn of Texas, who held that occupation earlier Thune, are nan front-runners successful nan Nov. 13 concealed ballot to switch McConnell. The Kentucky legislator is stepping speech from nan post successful January aft almost 2 decades arsenic leader. The victor could steer nan guidance of nan statement for years to travel and perchance go nan adjacent Senate mostly leader if Republicans triumph capable seats successful Tuesday's election.

The result is, for now, uncertain.

Only a fewer Republican senators person publically endorsed a candidate. Many opportunity they are still undecided. The 3rd legislator successful nan title — Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who is dealing pinch his ain reelection bid — could enactment arsenic a spoiler. Another campaigner could still jump in.

In galore ways, “the 2 Johns” are remarkably similar, making nan prime difficult for their colleagues. Both are well-liked and, successful nan mold of McConnell, thin toward nan much accepted helping of nan Republican Party. But some person besides suggested they will effort to move connected from nan McConnell era pinch a much unfastened approach.

“I’m trying to find differentiation because they’re some awesome guys,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who has worked intimately pinch some of them.

The 2 men are besides trying to separate themselves from McConnell by making clear that they support Donald Trump successful this year’s statesmanlike election. Like McConnell, they person some sparred pinch Trump successful nan past, particularly aft nan Jan. 6, 2021, attack connected nan Capitol. But some Thune and Cornyn person talked to Trump often successful caller months, attended run events and visited his Florida home.

Whether Trump wins, and if he endorses 1 of nan contenders, could go a determining factor.

“I don’t cognize what he’ll do,” Cornyn said of Trump successful September. “But this is evidently an predetermination betwixt senators, and I deliberation that’s wherever nan voters are.”

Some of nan erstwhile president’s strongest friends successful nan Senate are urging him to enactment supra nan fray. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who is supporting Thune, says he’s been trying to talk Trump retired of an endorsement. Trump understands “the request to activity pinch whoever nan adjacent leader is,” Mullin said.

Tillis suggested that a Trump endorsement could backfire.

“You person to beryllium observant pinch nan psychology of nan Senate,” Tillis said. “We cognize each different very well, and we walk hours and hours together. It’s a reasonably mini club.”

Still, some Cornyn and Thune are keeping adjacent to Trump. Cornyn met Trump connected a travel to Texas successful October and appeared astatine a rally successful Nevada. Thune was astatine an arena successful August pinch Trump's moving mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.

Thune, who said aft nan Jan. 6 onslaught that Trump's efforts to disrupt nan serene transportation of powerfulness were “inexcusable," told The Associated Press complete nan summertime that he views their imaginable narration arsenic a master one. If they some triumph their elections, Thune said, “we’ve sewage a occupation to do.”

Scott, meanwhile, is simply a longtime friend of Trump’s and has positioned himself arsenic a beardown ally. Scott traveled to New York to support Trump during Trump’s hush money trial. Trump could endorse Scott successful nan contest, perchance winning much votes for nan Florida legislator aliases giving him leverage to power nan race.

In summation to backstage meetings, some Thune and Cornyn person flown astir nan state to fundraise and run for their chap senators.

Thune has made much than 2 twelve run stops for GOP legislature candidates, and aides opportunity he has raised much than $31 cardinal for Senate races this run cycle, including a $4 cardinal transportation to nan Senate Republican run operation.

Cornyn has likewise gone astir for candidates and poured money into Texas races. His aides stress his agelong history of fundraising for Republicans — much than $400 cardinal during his 22 years successful nan Senate, his agency says.

On policy, nan 2 men are similar, voting mostly successful measurement pinch nan convention but moving pinch Democrats astatine times. Cornyn is simply a longtime personnel of nan Senate Judiciary Committee who took a leading domiciled connected bipartisan weapon legislation 2 years ago. Thune worked crossed nan aisle arsenic a erstwhile president of nan Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

It's unclear whether either could triumph support from nan increasing number of Republican senators who battled McConnell successful caller years arsenic he championed Ukraine assistance and criticized Trump. Many successful that group voted for Scott erstwhile he challenged McConnell aft nan 2022 elections.

In a imaginable overture to that group, Cornyn has called for a convention ballot connected instituting word limits for nan Republican leader. “I judge nan Senate needs much engagement from my colleagues, and that includes nan opportunity for immoderate personnel to service successful leadership,” Cornyn posted connected X successful March.

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a personnel of nan much blimpish faction, said he has not made a committedness successful nan title but wants to cognize really they would move authorities and activity pinch Trump if he is president. “I deliberation immoderate of this will travel into attraction aft nan predetermination erstwhile we cognize what we’re dealing with, we cognize what our caucus is going to be,” Hawley said.

Many successful that group, including Scott and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, person pushed to return powerfulness distant from activity and empower individual senators. Lee has issued a bid of campaigner demands, but neither Cornyn nor Thune has truthful acold shown liking successful negotiating.

But some of them person signaled that they perceive nan complaints.

Thune indicated successful nan AP question and reply that he's unfastened to making changes to nan leader’s role, but cautioned that he would not time off nan position astatine nan mercy of rank-and-file senators. He said he wanted to “empower our individual members aliases committees to do things done regular order” and unfastened up nan amendment process, but “I’m not going to make wholesale changes that weaken nan leader position to wherever it’s conscionable a free-for-all."

Tillis suggested successful September that it would beryllium a woody breaker for him if immoderate of nan candidates engaged successful deal-making.

“If you would beryllium consenting to weaken your position to fulfill a fewer votes, past you’re unfit to beryllium leader, successful my opinion,” Tillis said. “And I deliberation astir group deliberation that way.”

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Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.