Florida Sen. Rick Scott jumps into the race to succeed Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader

Florida Sen. Rick Scott is tossing his hat in the ring to succeed his old rival, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as head of Republicans in the upper chamber.

Scott (R-Fla.), 71, who previously vied unsuccessfully in November 2022 to oust McConnell (R-Ky.), enters the race as an underdog against Minority Whip John Thune (R-SC) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

“I believe that our voters want us to use this leadership election to make a choice to upend the status quo in Washington,” Scott wrote in a letter to his fellow Republicans.

“If you also believe this to be true and want a leader dedicated to that principle, I would be honored to have the opportunity to earn your support.”

McConnell, 82, announced in February that he would step down from the post after the November elections. He has served as the Senate Republican leader since 2007.

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That makes him the longest party leader on either side of the aisle in history.

Scott had long butted heads with McConnell and was crushed in his bid to usurp the role in a 37-10 vote, favoring the Kentucky sage.

The former Florida governor had badmouthed McConnell for not establishing a more robust agenda for Republicans.

Over the years, he’s worked to cultivate key relationships with Republicans and has publicly knocked McConnell’s leadership, including on the border negotiations that took place earlier this year.

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Some Republicans have faulted Scott for the lackluster performance in the 2022 midterm elections in which the GOP fell far short of expectations for a red wave.

Scott chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee — the official Senate GOP campaign arm — heading into that cycle, and burned through cash very quickly .

His successor, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mo.), deployed a different strategy with more of an emphasis on candidate quality.

Scott had been rumored to be mulling a run for the Senate GOP leadership post ever since McConnell announced he was stepping down.

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Cornyn, who served as the Senate GOP Whip from 2013 to 2019, quickly entered the mad dash to succeed McConnell and was followed by Thune soon thereafter.

A third “John” — Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.) had been rumored to be eyeing a bid but ultimately opted to run for the Senate GOP Whip position instead.

Scott is generally believed to have much closer ties with former President Donald Trump than either Cornyn or Thune. Earlier this month, he attended the 45th president’s hush money trial in Manhattan.

All aspirants for the GOP Senate leadership post have endorsed Trump, who had a famously bitter relationship with McConnell by the end of his presidency and in subsequent years.

The internal GOP election is slated to take place after the Nov. 5 election.

A senator must clinch a majority to win the post.

Scott is also vying for reelection to a second term as Florida senator.

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