Trump Ally Sen. Rick Scott Officially Throws Hat in the Ring for Senate GOP Leader, Challenging RINOs Cornyn and Thune
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has officially entered the race to succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (RINO-KY).
82-year-old McConnell announced he would be stepping down as leader of the Senate GOP in November.
“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” McConnell said earlier this year in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. “So I stand before you today … to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”
Senator Scott’s announcement came via a public post on X following an initial report by The Wall Street Journal. In a candid letter to his colleagues, which was obtained by WSJ News, Scott articulated a vision for a transformed Republican leadership, one that breaks away from the complacency of current Washington politics.
“I believe that our voters want us to use this leadership election to make a choice to upend the status quo in Washington,” Scott said in a letter to colleagues. “If you also believe this to be true and want a leader dedicated to that principle, I would be honored to have the opportunity to earn your support.”
In an X post, Scott wrote, “Our country is in big trouble. Look at the border, the debt, inflation. Washington is broken. We don’t need minor adjustments, we need a sea change to make Washington work for YOU. That’s what I’m fighting for and why I’m running to be the Senate Republican leader.”
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Our country is in big trouble. Look at the border, the debt, inflation. Washington is broken.
We don’t need minor adjustments, we need a sea change to make Washington work for YOU. That’s what I’m fighting for and why I’m running to be the Senate Republican leader. pic.twitter.com/LiXH1s4qg5
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) May 23, 2024
Scott’s candidacy poses a significant challenge to other senators in the race, notably RINO Senators John Cornyn(RINO-TX) and Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.). Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) also hinted that he may run to succeed McConnell as Senate Republican leader.
This isn’t Senator Scott’s first attempt at shaking up the GOP hierarchy. In 2022, at the behest of former President Donald Trump, he mounted a challenge against Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, capturing 10 votes out of 49 in the GOP conference.
“I ran for the Senate because, like each of you, I have core beliefs and would like to improve our country. While I might vote a different way than you at times, I respect each of you, your votes and your commitment to your respective states,” Scott wrote in 2022.
“I’m writing to you today because I believe it’s time for the Senate Republican Conference to be far more bold and resolute than we have been in the past. We must start saying what we are for, not just what we are against. I do not believe we can simply continue to say the Democrats are radical, which they are. Republican voters expect and deserve to know our plan to promote and advance conservative values. We need to listen to their calls for action and start governing in Washington like we campaign back at home. There is a Republican Party that is alive and well in communities across America. It is time there is one in Washington, D.C., too. That is why I am running to be Republican Leader.”
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