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Who will replace Mitch McConnell? Race to become the next GOP Senate leader
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Who will replace Mitch McConnell? Race to become the next GOP Senate leader

Senate Republicans must choose Mitch McConnellsuccessor to head the upper house, with three Republican lawmakers in the running.

Senators John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida, announced their intentions to replace McConnell like the Senate Republican chief. It’s unclear who the frontrunner is in the race, with most Republican senators yet to publicly endorse any candidate.

The internal vote will take place on November 13, report Axios and Punchbowl News. The 82-year-old Kentucky senator announced in February that he would step down as the longest-serving Senate leader after the next general election.

There hasn’t been a truly competitive election for Senate GOP leader since 2007, when McConnell was first elected to the position. The vote will decide not only McConnell’s successor, but also potentially the next Senate majority leader if the Republican Party manages to regain control of the upper chamber. Democrats in the elections of November 5.

Among the key issues the candidates are likely to vote on are whether to impose term limits on Senate leaders to prevent another 18-year reign like McConnell’s, and whether to end the Senate filibuster.

News week contacted the offices of Thune, Cornyn and Scott for comment via email.

Who will replace Mitch McConnell?
Three Republican senators are vying to replace Mitch McConnell as leader of the Republican Party in the Senate.

Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty

Speculation about a potential replacement for McConnell began cropping up in 2023 after the Kentucky senator experienced several apparent health episodes.

Mark Shanahan, associate professor of political engagement at the University of Surrey in the UK, said News week the race to “realistically” replace McConnell falls to Thune and Cornyn, as Scott has been more “concerned with defending his Florida Senate seat rather than polishing his credentials with his fellow GOP senators” in recent months.

“At this point, Thune probably has the upper hand. As Republican whip, he is de facto number two in the GOP pecking order in the Senate and is considered both a strong and active campaigner and fundraiser, lending support this fall across the country in many races,” Shanahan said.

“On the other hand, Cornyn would bring considerable Texas wealth to GOP coffers if he lands this role – and is not a bad campaigner himself.”

Both Cornyn and Thune are staunch supporters of McConnell and have spoken out on occasion. against former President Donald Trump. Both senators ultimately endorsed the former president during the primary season.

Scott is a top Trump ally and a frequent critic of McConnell, including launching an unsuccessful bid to unseat him as GOP Senate leader in 2022.

The Kentucky senator was re-elected against Scott by a vote of 37 to 10. McConnell then removed Scott from the powerful Commerce Committee.

“There is every chance that the winner of the leadership race will become Senate majority leader after the election and thus fulfill a crucial role,” Shanahan said. News week. “Neither Thune nor Cornyn are close to Donald Trumpand may have to act as a necessary brake on some of his more outlandish proposals if he returns to the White House.

“Yet a Kamala Harris A victory could mean four years of opposition to the Democratic agenda and neither Republican appears to be the type to break the hyperpartisan divide the Senate has fallen into in recent years. »

Trump reportedly wanted Steve Daines from Montanahead of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, to replace McConnell, but the latter recently told Semafor that he “was not going to run for majority leader.” The Hill reported Thursday that he was in fact telling colleagues he would support Senate Republican Whip John Thune, citing sources familiar with the conversations.

Senator John Thune

Thune, 63, confirmed his intention to run for the GOP Senate leadership post in March.

When asked by a South Dakota news station if he wanted to become Senate Republican leader, Thune replied: “Well, I hope I am, and I’m going to do everything I can to convince my colleagues: they’re the voters, they’re the ones who ultimately make the decision.”

Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, who publicly endorsed Thune to replace McConnell, said earlier this year that the Senate Republican whip was the favorite. “There’s still a lot of room, but I think at this point it’s definitely Thune’s to lose,” Mullin told Politico.

Thune has long spoken out against calls from Trump and Democrats to remove the 60-vote supermajority requirement for passage of major legislation in the Senate.

“Our members are committed to preserving it,” Thune told Punchbowl News in May. “As much as we want to work with Trump…we’re going to have to do it the old-fashioned way and put together the kinds of majorities that will get us to the 60-vote threshold.”

Thune indicated he was willing to discuss term limits for the next Republican leader, but did not give a clear position.

John Thune and Mitch McConnell
John Thune (left) listens alongside Mitch McConnell during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on September 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. Thune is poised to replace McConnell as Senate GOP leader.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Senator John Cornyn

Thune announced his intention to run for Senate GOP leader just days after Cornyn, 72, the former GOP whip, revealed his candidacy to replace McConnell.

“I believe the Senate is broken, that’s news to no one. The good news is it can be fixed, and I intend to play a major role in fixing that,” Cornyn said in a press release in February.

Cornyn opposes abandoning the filibuster in the Senate and has been clear about his desire to limit the terms of Senate leaders.

“One of the reasons I’m running to be the next Republican leader is because I believe the Senate needs more engagement from all of my colleagues, and that includes the opportunity for any member to become leader,” Cornyn posted on X, formerly Twitterin March.

“I will support a conference vote to change the rules and institute term limits for the Republican leader.”

Senator Rick Scott

Scott, 71, seeking election his U.S. Senate seat in Florida on November 5, he declared in May his intention to run for leader of the Republican Party in the Senate.

“Now is not the time to make small adjustments; I believe we need radical change to save our country and that is why I am running for leader of the Republican Party,” Scott wrote in a letter “Dear colleague”.

He also said he would work more with House Republicans as leader and promised Senate Republicans that he would “never surprise you with legislation or ask you to vote on something you don’t.” ‘haven’t had a chance to review’.

Scott also calls for a six-year maximum limit on which a Republican can serve as Senate leader.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen for sure, but some people think there’s no question that we’re going to have term limits in the future,” Scott told Axios in June.

Scott is considered the outside bet to replace McConnell, although he may gain support from other MAGA senators in the upper chamber.

McConnell and Trump clashed several times over the years, particularly since the January 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021.

Kentucky senator reportedly referred to former president as a “despicable human being” and said Trump’s MAGA movement had “done a lot of damage” to the Republican Party.

These comments are detailed in an upcoming biography of McConnell, The price of powerwritten by Michael Tackett, deputy bureau chief of the Associated Press in Washington, according to ABC News.

Senator from Utah Mike Lee recently called on Thune and Cornyn to respond to the comments.

“Those running for Senate GOP leadership positions must weigh in on this and pledge to never sabotage Republican candidates and colleagues, especially those who are less than two weeks away from a close election,” posted Lee on X.

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming was previously considered a potential candidate to succeed McConnell as Senate GOP leader.

Barrasso, currently the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, will instead seek to fill the No. 2 whip position vacated by Thune. Barrasso is expected to oversee the November 13 proceedings.