Sen. Rick Scott of Florida appears close to challenging for the post he wanted last year: Senate Republican leader.
Scott said in a recent interview that he is “seriously” considering vying to become the GOP leader to take over for current Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
McConnell announced last week that he would step down as the Republican leader in November. He is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
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Scott, a Florida Republican, told conservative activist and podcaster Charlie Kirk on Friday that he is mulling over tossing his hat into the ring with at least three other GOP lawmakers.
“This is a big opportunity,” Scott told Kirk, according to The Epoch Times. “I’m seriously considering it.”
“We could actually have somebody that actually believes in this country and believes in solving the problems of this country running the Senate,” Scott added. “When we get a majority in November or in January, we can actually make big changes.”
Scott ran against McConnell after the 2022 elections when Republicans underperformed and lost their majority.
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McConnell prevailed for another term as leader by a 37-10 vote among Republican senators.
Scott, if elected GOP leader, told Kirk he would focus on securing the border, balancing the budget, ending U.S. involvement in “forever wars,” and holding the executive branch accountable for its actions.
Scott also suggested GOP lawmakers should look elsewhere if they want someone to continue on McConnell’s path.
“If the Mitch McConnell plan is where we want to go forward,” he said, “then they should know they shouldn’t pick me because I’m not doing it.”
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Scott described the GOP half of the Senate under McConnell as a “revengeful place,” where lawmakers are expected to do McConnell’s bidding.
Besides Scott, other GOP senators eyeing the top job include Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, and John Barrasso of Wyoming.
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