Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said he is considering running for the Senate Republican leader role, joining several other senators competing for the powerful post.
He vowed to Mr. Kirk to make significant reforms among Senate Republicans if elected.
“We could actually have somebody that actually believes in this country and believes in solving the problems of this country running the Senate,” Mr. Scott said. “When we get a majority in November or in January, we can actually make big changes.”
His comments come after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Feb. 28 announced his retirement from GOP leadership later this year after nearly two decades holding the position.
In November 2022, Mr. Scott challenged Mr. McConnell for Republican leadership following the GOP’s failure to secure a majority for the party in the upper chamber during the midterm elections. Mr. McConnell later defeated the former Florida governor on a 37–10 vote.
During the interview, Mr. Scott highlighted that he lost because Mr. McConnell pushed the vote, leaving him no time to campaign for the race.
The Plan
The senator from Florida outlined a potential strategy for his run this time. He and several senators, such as Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), will propose a GOP conference meeting. At that meeting, they plan to discuss the strategy, formulate a plan of action, and elect the person to implement the action plan.Mr. Scott listed key priorities that need fixing, including securing the border, balancing the budget, staying away from “forever wars,” and holding the government accountable for its actions.
He said he wouldn’t want the position if forced to follow the same path that Mr. McConnell has already set for Senate Republicans.
“If the Mitch McConnell plan is where we want to go forward, then they should know they shouldn’t pick me because I’m not doing it,” he said.
When host Mr. Kirk asked why Mr. Scott and his colleagues did not discuss this action plan with Mr. McConnell, which he believes could benefit the GOP in this election cycle, Mr. Scott responded that the current leader is uncooperative.
“We don’t get anything out of him. He never tells us anything,” he said. “He‘ll give us a bill in the middle of the night and expect our vote at 9 o’clock the next morning.”
Mr. Scott also called the Republican Senate a “revengeful place,” pointing out that after being reelected as GOP leader, Mr. McConnell removed him from the Senate Commerce Committee. Mr. Lee, who backed Mr. Scott for the position, also was removed from the panel.
GOP Leadership Race Heats Up
The race for the top GOP leadership is shaking up as several senators have signaled that they intend to run for the post.Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) made an official announcement shortly after Mr. McConnell announced his stepping-down plan.
“I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell,” Mr. Cornyn said in a statement. “Throughout my time, I’ve built a track record of listening to colleagues and seeking consensus while leading the fight to stop bad policies that are harmful to our nation and the conservative cause.”
Several other names may also consider a run for the position but have not announced, including Senate Republican Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
Mr. Daines has not confirmed a run, as he said that winning back the upper chamber is more crucial for the GOP.
“I told [President Trump] the most important thing I can do [at] this moment is to make sure we have a Senate majority in November.”
