Next Senate Republican Leader Must Work Hand in Glove With Trump: Sen. Tim Scott

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) speaks with reporters at Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald J. Trump’s rally in Laconia, N.H., on Jan. 22, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said the next Senate Republican leader should be able to work “hand in glove” with former President Donald Trump.

In an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News, which aired on March 10, Mr. Scott was asked whom he would like to see in the new Senate GOP leadership after Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced last month that he will step down from the leadership post in November, ending a 17-year tenure at the helm.

“I would like to see someone leading the Senate who is willing and able to work hand in glove with President Trump. We need a majority in the Senate that understands putting America first is working with President Trump,” Mr. Scott said.

“Our priorities should start with closing the southern border. It should continue on having the next wave of tax cuts that give Americans their money back, and then we should make sure that we have law and order in our streets,” he continued. “It’s the concept that President Trump will lead our country to a brighter future and we must have a new majority leader who wants to work hand in glove with Donald Trump.”

Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and John Thune (R-S.D.) have announced that they are running to replace Mr. McConnell.

Last week, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), currently the chairman of the Senate GOP conference, said he has enough support and will run for Senate GOP whip in 2025.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who challenged Mr. McConnell for his position as top Senate Republican in 2022, told The Palm Beach Post on March 5 that he was “seriously considering” a run for the Senate GOP leader.

Mr. Scott also shared details about his meeting with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago on March 4.

“I talked to him about the fact that I might run for leader, and if I did that, we would have the opportunity together to change the direction of this country for the better,” Mr. Scott said, according to the outlet.

Another Republican who might run is Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). “Thousands of people have been asking if I'd run for Senate leadership,” he wrote on social media platform X on Friday.

He later posted a survey, asking people to pick either him, Mr. Thune, or Mr. Cornyn. He ended up receiving 96.6 percent support.

Following the survey, Elon Musk posted to X saying he “would support Rand Paul” for the top Republican Senate leadership spot. Additionally, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also endorsed Mr. Paul for the position.

During a trip to the southern border on Feb. 29, President Trump said there “are a lot of good choices” to replace Mr. McConnell, but he declined to name one.

Also during the interview, Mr. Scott said the black community will support President Trump in November.

“I have never seen the type of enthusiasm for Republican presidential candidate that I’m seeing right now for President Donald Trump. 40% of African American men are willing to vote for President Trump,” Mr. Scott said. “African Americans are devastated by migrant crime.”

According to the latest national survey by Emerson College, which polled 1,350 registered voters from March 5 to March 6, President Trump and President Biden are tied with 45 percent support each.

“Biden leads Trump among voters under 30, 43% to 37%, with 20% undecided. When these voters are forced to choose between Biden and Trump and their support is included in the total, 58% support Biden and 42% Trump,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling said in a statement.

When third-party candidates were added, including Mr. Kennedy and Cornel West, President Trump picked up 43 percent support, leading Presiden Biden by one percentage point.

“Independents think Trump would do a better job handling the border than Biden, 53% to 47%, but think Biden would do a better job on abortion access, 61% to 39%, and the Israel-Hamas war, 52% to 48%,” Mr. Kimball added.