Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn announced Thursday his intention to run for Senate Republican Leader, just one day after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would be stepping down as leader in November.
Cornyn spoke with former President Donald Trump on Wednesday and has started calling individual GOP senators for their support.
“I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell,” Cornyn said. “I believe the Senate is broken — that is not news to anyone. The good news is that it can be fixed, and I intend to play a major role in fixing it.”
McConnell announced Wednesday afternoon that he would step down as Senate Republican leader in November.
“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” McConnell said Wednesday. “So I stand before you today … to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 27: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) talks to reporters following the weekly Senate Republican caucus policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on February 27, 2024 in Washington, DC. McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) met with President Joe Biden at the White House earlier in the day to talk about funding for Ukraine and avoiding a partial federal government shutdown later in the week. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
McConnell has been facing ongoing criticism in recent months after pro-Ukraine hawks within his conference gave away their leverage by voting to send billions more in aid to Ukraine despite not reaching a border security deal. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Senate Republicans Sound Off On Leaked Border Deal Proposals, Say They Will Absolutely Not Vote For Them)
Republicans, such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, and Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson were particularly critical of McConnell’s leadership. (RELATED: Mitch McConnell Will Step Down As Senate Republican Leader In November)
“I cannot even believe how badly McConnell blew this,” Johnson told the Caller. “McConnell frittered away the leverage we have in the Senate.”
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 28: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (L) (R-KY) answers questions following the weekly Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on August 28, 2018 in Washington, DC. McConnell spoke on a range of issues related primarily to the passing of Sen. John McCain and pending Senate legislation. Also pictured are (L-R) Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
McConnell is the longest-serving party leader of all time in the Senate and has been serving in the Senate since 1984. According to Real Clear Politics, McConnell is rated Americans’ most disliked political leader with favorability ratings that are worse than President Joe Biden’s.
“I still have enough gas in my tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics, and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm with which they’ve become accustomed,” McConnell said in his speech on the Senate floor.