Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) challenged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) on Tuesday.
Most people think highly of me. McConnell predicted his re-election in a press conference on Tuesday. The only open question is how fast you can make the change.
McConnell made those comments in response to a request from a handful of Republican senators that the leadership election is delayed until the outcome of the Senate race in Georgia was determined. Some of the Republican senators present included Marco Rubio (Florida), Josh Hawley (Missouri), Ted Cruz (Texas), Ron Johnson (Wisconsin), Rick Scott (Florida), Mike Lee (Utah), and Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) (R-SC).
Johnson and Cruz both made statements on Tuesday indicating that if the election was not delayed, McConnell would be challenged for his leadership position. Scott had already announced his intention to run as an opponent to McConnell in a letter he had sent hours before McConnell made his statement.
Scott implored his audience, “Don’t vote for me if you just want to preserve things the way they are. Conservative voters should be aware of the Republican Party’s strategy for advancing conservative ideals. Scott outlined the main reasons he decided to compete for the Republican leadership.
Scott went on, “Like all of you, I am very saddened by the outcome of the recent election.” “There is no one person accountable for our party’s victory throughout the country,” despite what armchair quarterbacks on TV may have you believe.
To succeed, Scott’s challenge needs just the support of fellow Republicans in the Senate. Voting will take place by secret ballot on Wednesday.