Florida Sen. Rick Scott is tossing his hat within the ring to succeed his outdated rival, Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, as head of Republicans within the higher chamber.
Scott (R-Fla.), 71, who beforehand vied unsuccessfully in November 2022 to oust McConnell (R-Ky.), enters the race as an underdog towards Minority Whip John Thune (R-SC) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).
“I imagine that our voters need us to make use of this management election to select to upend the established order in Washington,” Scott wrote in a letter to his fellow Republicans.
“For those who additionally imagine this to be true and need a chief devoted to that precept, I’d be honored to have the chance to earn your help.”
McConnell, 82, introduced in February that he would step down from the put up after the November elections. He has served because the Senate Republican chief since 2007.
That makes him the longest get together chief on both aspect of the aisle in historical past.
Scott had lengthy butted heads with McConnell and was crushed in his bid to usurp the position in a 37-10 vote, favoring the Kentucky sage.
The previous Florida governor had badmouthed McConnell for not establishing a extra sturdy agenda for Republicans.
Through the years, he’s labored to domesticate key relationships with Republicans and has publicly knocked McConnell’s management, together with on the border negotiations that occurred earlier this yr.
Some Republicans have faulted Scott for the lackluster efficiency within the 2022 midterm elections during which the GOP fell far wanting expectations for a purple wave.
Scott chaired the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee — the official Senate GOP marketing campaign arm — heading into that cycle, and burned by means of money in a short time.
His successor, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mo.), deployed a distinct technique with extra of an emphasis on candidate high quality.
Scott had been rumored to be mulling a run for the Senate GOP management put up ever since McConnell introduced he was stepping down.
Cornyn, who served because the Senate GOP Whip from 2013 to 2019, rapidly entered the mad sprint to succeed McConnell and was adopted by Thune quickly thereafter.
A 3rd “John” — Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.) had been rumored to be eyeing a bid however in the end opted to run for the Senate GOP Whip place as a substitute.
Scott is mostly believed to have a lot nearer ties with former President Donald Trump than both Cornyn or Thune. Earlier this month, he attended the forty fifth president’s hush cash trial in Manhattan.
All aspirants for the GOP Senate management put up have endorsed Trump, who had a famously bitter relationship with McConnell by the tip of his presidency and in subsequent years.
The interior GOP election is slated to happen after the Nov. 5 election.
A senator should clinch a majority to win the put up.
Scott can also be vying for reelection to a second time period as Florida senator.
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