Heres how. And Im Scandinavian, so the glass is always half empty. He downplayed any conflict with Cornyn, whom he said is his friend. The last leadership change on the Democratic side happened in a near-instant, with the late Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announcing his retirement and immediately endorsing Sen. Chuck Schumer to succeed him. Even so, he may face opposition from his own party if he runs, with Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes the most prominent possibility. Even out of office he has caused headaches for Senate GOP leadership by weighing into fights over the infrastructure bill and the debt ceiling. The Utahn was the first senator in history to vote to remove a president of the same party from office, in Trumps first impeachment trial. Ive faced long odds: Getting the nomination in 2012 was a long shot, becoming a Republican governor in one of the most liberal states in America, Massachusetts. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) questions U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco as she testifies on renewing and strengthening the Violence Against Women Act during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on October 05, 2021 in Washington, DC. With Trump warning he will push primary candidates who fit his mold in 2022 Senate races, many Republican senators facing voters next year are not eager to pick sides following the former Presidents blistering attack on the GOP leader after his impeachment trial. Incoming National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Steve Daines (R-Mont.) 2 Senate Republican who faces voters in South Dakota next year, told CNN in a statement. When he had that job from January 2015 through January 2021, McConnell used that power to block bills. Thune earned Trumps ire a year ago for publicly dismissing his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. CNN In August, Mitch McConnell told a hard truth . We got a lot of legislation of significant nature through, Romney said in the interview. Both Sens. Wow.. The "America First" reference was not accidental: Tshibaka is backed by Donald Trump, who's repeatedly vowed to defeat Murkowski for failing to show him sufficient loyalty. Thunes pursuit of a fourth term, however, has left the Senate GOP newly abuzz over who might take the reins post-McConnell, since political trajectories can change in an instant in the Senate. And it frightened independent and moderate Republican voters, McConnell said of the midterm election losses on Tuesday. No. And McConnell is willing to put money behind it. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined at left by Minority Whip John Thune, speaks to reporters after a Republican strategy meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Oct. 19, 2021. In theory, this could prove to be trivial, especially if far-right candidates balking at McConnell come up short in primaries or in general elections. The senator predicted that Trump's baseless challenge of the results in Congress would go down like "a shot dog." This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Theres a very simple answer: Yes. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) The great thing for us is, you have a couple of really exceptional individuals that can step up if McConnell decides to step out.. Instead, the former president this week went after Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) But in the immediate term, Trump has laid off Thune even after the senator announced his reelection run. We must start saying what we are for, not just what we are against.. "I think he does a good job," he said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Daily News Update But he caught flack from former President Donald Trump after the 2020 election. Sen. John Thune questions U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai as she testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 12, 2021. Senate Democrats can keep approving President Joe Biden's nominees to the federal judiciary even without any Republican colleagues' support, for example, because those nominations can advance with just 51 votes. He's also focused on agriculture issues during his tenure on Capitol Hill. Though GOP senators expressed confidence earlier this year that he would run, Thune set off alarm bells within the caucus when he told a South Dakota publication that his wife was ready for him to call it quits. That work continues, which is why after careful consideration and prayer, and with the support of my family, Im asking South Dakotans for the opportunity to continue serving them in the U.S. Senate.. 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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined at left by Minority Whip John Thune, speaks to reporters after a Republican strategy meeting at the Capitol in Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a Trump ally and former college football coach, said McConnells doing a good job, shrugging off the former presidents scathing criticism of the leader. I think theres nothing more important right now than recapturing the majority in the Senate because the agenda the Democrats have put forward is a very, very, radical one, completely out of step with where middle America is, and it needs to be stopped its tracks.". "She is done with it," he said. "Potential prospects down the road was a factor as we weighed the question of whether or not to seek another six-year term.". That means Republicans merely need a net gain of one seat to retake the Senate in November's midterms to regain control of the chamber they lost a year ago when they were narrowly swept in Georgias twin Senate runoffs. Then he cut a series of bipartisan deals that upset the right. But his attack on Trump and Trumps scathing response could reverberate in Senate primaries where candidates are largely aligning themselves with the former President in an attempt to court his base, even as McConnell has vowed to employ his political operation to push candidates he views as most electable. The election filled the Class III Senate seat held by Rand Paul (R), who first took office in 2011. He understands the variety of personalities that he needs to deal with, Collins said. A A Republican senators up for reelection in 2022 do not appear eager to pick sides between former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch The 61-year-old Thune, a former congressman who defeated then-Senate Democratic leader Sen. Tom Daschle in 2004, could have some competition down the road in the race to succeed McConnell. Plus, McConnell remains one of Congress'top four leaders. With polls showing the wind at Republicans' backs, and with Democrats holding onto barely existent majorities in both chambers on Capitol Hill, folks like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have reason to be optimistic about the 2022 midterms. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota says the eventual possibility of succeeding longtime Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell in steering Republicans in the chamber was "a factor" in his decision to run for reelection this year. Thune joined the House of Representatives in 1997 and, after an initial Senate bid in 2002, sent a lightning bolt through Washington when he defeated then-Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in 2004 in what was the most expensive race of the cycle. He was elected to the House in 1996 and served three terms there. (AP Photo/J. The longtime party leader fended off a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a Trump ally who led a conservative effort to unseat him. But don't be surprised if the former president tries to secure related commitments from other candidates, which might start to make a difference in 2022. Senate Republicans, who are close allies of the former president, urged Thune to run and not to worry about a Trump-field primary challenge. Eric Greitens, another Republican Senate hopeful in 2022, also said a few months ago that he wouldn't support McConnell, either. and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), as well as newly independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. It wasn't just electoral calculations that led to questions about Thune's political future in the Senate but family considerations as well. McConnell, during a recent interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, predicted that Republicans have a great cycle with a good chance of getting the majority back., The atmosphere is terrible [for Democrats], he added. Those term limits, however, do not apply to the top leader. McConnell was elected to a seventh Senate term in 2020 by a nearly 20-point margin over Democrat Amy McGrath and won't be up for reelection until 2026. Severe Weather Unlike McConnell, Scott has detailed plans to overhaul entitlement programs and has embraced extreme candidates endorsed by Donald Trump. Among the many Republican senators who did not respond when asked whether they still support McConnell were his Kentucky colleague, Sen. Rand Paul, and Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, whos been sharply critical of the GOP leader in recent radio interviews following McConnells remarks on the Senate floor. But it's worth noting for context that the far-right Alaskan isn't alone in adopting an anti-McConnell position. ), the No. As the second-highest-ranking person in leadership, to me hes the logical successor.. I dont see Mitch McConnell relinquishing his leadership post prior to some future decision not to run for reelection, Collins said. It shows his strength, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who voted for McConnell, said of Wednesdays election. nor former Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) - appear to be actively jockeying to replace McConnell. It validates him as leader in a really big way. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said the GOP is fortunate to have the three Johns to choose from. for saying the 2020 elections were fairly won, which some Republicans said Tuesday was helpful to Thune. The conference members then voted for McConnell to lead them again, which will make him the longest-serving Senate party leader when the new Congress convenes in January. Once McConnell would make his mind up one way or the other, Im sure there would be a jockeying for that would become quite apparent, he said. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. James Lankford of Oklahoma; Mike Lee of Utah; John Kennedy of Louisiana; John Boozman of Arkansas; Mike Crapo of Idaho; Chuck Grassley of Iowa; Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; John Hoeven of North Dakota; and Marco Rubio of Florida. McConnell, 80, had the support of 37 senators, while Scott got 10 votes and one senator voted present, CNN reported, citing two members of the GOP conference. The remarks sparked Trumps ire and the former president fired back that Thune was Mitchs boy. Trump tried toconvince South Dakota Gov. Trump successfully chilled FBI from being willing to investigate anything related to him: Peter Strzok. Theres Thune the South Dakotan, McConnells current deputy, as well as former whip John Cornyn of Texas, the two favorites to succeed the GOP leader. "It's kind of like being a head coach in football, people look at sometimes the outward statements. Its really more of a matter of relationships and trust.. I think theres probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate, the Senate minority leader said at The South Dakota Republican, a likely successor to Republican leader Mitch McConnell, says he will run for reelection in 2022, putting an end to the speculation about While many Republican senators share McConnells view, others do not and are frustrated with the GOP leader for condemning the former President in harsh terms, arguing his comments have put them in a complicated position. McConnell has also been the target of Trumps wrath after voting for a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and a proposal to allow Democrats to raise the debt ceiling by themselves with a simple majority vote. And probably wont do that anytime in the immediate future.. on Tuesday said no one's making a move to replace McConnell. He has consistently avoided answering questions about his relationship with Trump by saying he's focused on fighting President Biden's multi-trillion-dollar agenda in Congress and helping Republicans win back the Senate majority in 2022. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Cornyns power base stems from his time as whip and party committee chair in 2010 and 2012 as well as his continued fundraising prowess for the party and handy reelection win in 2020 after Democrats tried to make Texas a battleground state. The closed-door, secret-ballot vote was held in the Old Senate Chamber, an ornate semicircular room in the Capitol where lawmakers met prior to the Civil War. Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. All rights reserved. WebThe Trump Archive collects TV news shows containing debates, speeches, rallies, and other broadcasts related to Donald Trump, before, during and after his presidency. ), who backed Scott, gave McConnell credit for acknowledging the concerns raised about his leadership style. He's also the bestselling author of "The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics.". Republican senators are trying to stay out of the fray between former President Donald Trump and their leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell. GOP Sen. Tim Scotts office referred CNN to a recent Fox radio interview where the South Carolinian noted his support for the leader. In terms of his wrestling match with President Trump, thats an issue that I guess will sort itself out over time., Asked if anyone is jockeying behind the scenes for McConnells job, Braun said, theres none of that been exhibited that Ive observed.. McConnell's successful reelection bid in 2020 centered on how he helps his home state "punch above its weight" compared with heavy-hitters like California. The GOP and McConnell hoped to flip the Senate in November's election, but that didn't happen. McConnell said in an interview that hes absolutely willing to do the same for Romney, and is pushing his colleague for another bid. John probably has a pretty good sense of his likelihood of success.. Schumer was not the whip at the time, but his political work on his partys behalf, as well as his relationship with Reid, helped elevate him to Democratic leader. While the lack of response from GOP senators over McConnell underscores the awkward spot Republicans find themselves in, some made clear they are behind the Senate Republican leader. on Tuesday said no ones making a move to replace McConnell. But McConnell, who will turn 80 in February, made clear on Tuesday that he doesnt plan to step down from the Senate Republican leaders job anytime soon, despite Trumps pressure. THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. Because at the end of the day were going to have to have someone in the party who understands how to fight fire with fire when it comes to Sen. (Chuck) Schumer if were going to win back the majority, which we will., Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican facing voters next year, also confirmed through a spokesperson that he supports Sen. McConnell as leader.. Since his election in 2018, Romneys put an indelible stamp on the Senate. 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