Who will replace Mitch McConnell? The race to become the next GOP leader in the Senate

Senate republicans must choose Mitch McConnellThe US’s successor as its leader in the upper house, with three GOP legislators.

Senators John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas, and Rick Scott Florida, announced their intentions to replace McConnell How Senate republican leader. It is unclear who the favorites are in the race, as most Republican senators have not yet publicly endorsed any candidate.

The internal vote will take place on November 13, Axios and Punchbowl News reported. Senator from Kentucky, 82 years old. announced in February that he will step down as the Senate’s longest-serving leader after the upcoming general election.

There hasn’t been a truly competitive election for Senate GOP leadership since 2007, when McConnell was first elected to the position. The vote will determine not only McConnell’s successor, but possibly the next Senate majority leader if the GOP is able to regain control of the upper chamber from the House. Democrats in the November 5 elections.

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

Newsweek reached out to the offices of Thune, Cornyn and Scott for comment via email.

Speculations about potential replacement for McConnell began to arise in 2023 after the Kentucky senator had several apparent health episodes.

Mark Shanahan, associate professor of political engagement at the British University of Surrey, said Newsweek the race for McConnell’s “real” replacement comes down to Thune and Cornyn, as Scott has been more “busy defending his Florida Senate seat than eroding his credentials with other Republican senators” in recent months.

“At this stage, Thune probably has the advantage. As the Republican whip, he is the de facto number two in the Senate GOP hierarchy and is seen as a strong and active campaigner and fundraiser, having lent his support to multiple races across the country this fall,” Shanahan said.

“Cornyn, on the other hand, would bring significant Texas wealth to the GOP coffers if he were given the role—and is no small contributor to the campaign himself.”

Cornyn and Thune are staunch McConnell supporters who have spoken out from time to time 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 leading an unsuccessful effort to unseat him as Senate GOP leader in 2022.

The Kentucky senator won re-election over Scott by a vote of 37 to 10. McConnell later removed Scott from the powerful Commerce Committee.

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

“And yet Kamala Harris “Victory could mean four years of fighting the Democratic agenda, and neither Republican looks likely to overcome the hyperpartisan divide that has engulfed the Senate in recent years.”

Trump reportedly wanted Steve Daines from Montanahead of the National Republican Senatorial Committee instead of McConnell, but the latter recently told Semaphore that he “does not intend to run for majority leader.” The Hill reported Thursday that he had in fact told colleagues he would support Senate Republican John Thune, citing people familiar with the conversations.

Senator John Thune

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

When a South Dakota news station asked him if he wanted to become GOP Senate leader, Tune replied: “Well, I hope so and I will do my best to convince my colleagues – they are the voters, they are the ones who ultimately make the decision.”

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

Thune has long opposed calls from Trump and Democrats to scrap the 60-vote supermajority requirement to pass major legislation in the Senate.

“Our members are committed to keeping 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 types of majorities that will allow us to reach the 60-vote threshold.”

Thune has signaled he is open to discussing term limits for the next Republican leader, but has not made a clear position.

Senator John Cornyn

Thune announced his plans to run for Senate GOP leadership just days after Cornyn, 72, a former GOP whip, announced his candidacy to replace McConnell.

“I believe that the Senate is broken is not news to anyone. The good news is that this can be fixed, and I intend to play an important role in making that happen,” Cornyn said in a statement in February.

Cornyn opposes eliminating the Senate filibuster and has been vocal about his desire to impose term limits on Senate leaders.

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

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

Senator Rick Scott

Scott, 71, is running for office in his U.S. Senate seat in Florida November 5 announced in May his intention to run for the post of Republican leader in the Senate.

“Now is not the time to make small adjustments; I believe we need dramatic, dramatic changes to save our country, and that is why I am running for Republican leadership,” Scott wrote in a “Dear Colleague” letter.

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 haven’t had a chance to consider.”

Scott is also calling for a maximum six-year term that a Republican can serve as Senate leader.

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

Scott is seen as an outsider to replace McConnell, although he could win support from other MAGA senators in the upper chamber.

McConnell and Trump encountered several times over the years, especially since the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The Kentucky senator reportedly reached out to the former president. as a “despicable person” and said Trump’s MAGA movement has “done a lot of damage” Republican Party.

Those comments are detailed in a forthcoming biography of McConnell. The price of powerwritten by Associated Press Deputy Washington Bureau Chief Michael Tackett, according to ABC News.

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

“Those running for Senate GOP leadership positions should weigh this and commit to never sabotaging Republican candidates and colleagues, especially those with less than two weeks left before a close election,” Lee wrote on X.

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

Barrasso, who currently ranks third among Senate Republicans, will instead seek the second position vacated by Thune. Barrasso is expected to oversee the trial on Nov. 13.