Mitch McConnell to secure his successor as Majority Leader by 'secret ballot' before new Senate term

Following their success in securing a majority of Senate seats in the general election, the Republican Party is preparing to replace Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who is rushing to find his replacement after announcing he will step down at year’s end. The race has highlighted divisions within the party, with contenders including Senate Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota, Senator John Cornyn of Texas, and Florida Senator Rick Scott.

Thune and Cornyn are considered McConnell allies but have drawn ire from pro-Trump factions within the GOP, according to The Independent. Earlier this year, Donald Trump Jr. criticized both men, referring to them as "RINOs" (Republicans in name only) for their positions on foreign aid to Ukraine. In February, Trump Jr. posted, “Both of them also voted to send billions more to Ukraine. MAGA must do everything in our power to stop either of these two RINOs from ever becoming Senate Leader!”

Cornyn has also faced criticism from President-elect Donald Trump for his role in negotiating bipartisan gun safety legislation under President Biden, which Trump described as “the first step in the movement to TAKE YOUR GUNS AWAY.” The National Association for Gun Rights similarly denounced Cornyn, labeling him “the arch traitor” and vowing to oppose his leadership bid.

Tucker Carlson voiced strong opposition to McConnell’s influence, accusing him of orchestrating a “coup” against Trump’s agenda by scheduling early leadership elections in the Senate.

“What the hell is going on in the US Senate? Hours after Donald Trump wins the most conclusive mandate in 40 years, Mitch McConnell engineers a coup against his agenda by calling early leadership elections in the Senate,” Carlson posted on X. “Two of the three candidates hate Trump and what he ran on. One of them, John Cornyn, is an angry liberal whose politics are indistinguishable from Liz Cheney’s.”

"The election is Wednesday, it’s by secret ballot, and it will determine whether or not the new administration succeeds. Rick Scott of Florida is the only candidate who agrees with Donald Trump. Call your senator and demand a public endorsement of Rick Scott. Don’t let McConnell get away with it again,” Carlson added.

Rick Scott is viewed as a more favorable choice by the pro-Trump wing of the party. Scott has been endorsed by Senators Ron Johnson, Rand Paul, and Bill Hagerty. Trump has yet to weigh in on the race.

The leadership election is scheduled for November 13. Scott explained his candidacy in a post on Saturday where he said that the party needs “need dramatic change in Washington to upend the status quo & make sure President Trump’s agenda gets done.”