Unlock the free White House Watch newsletter
Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world
Donald Trump’s allies have backed Florida senator Rick Scott’s bid to become the party’s new leader in the Senate, looking for a loyalist to help advance the president-elect’s agenda. through Congress.
The pro-Trump former Florida governor is running against senators John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota, both of whom are allies of outgoing leader Mitch McConnell. Whoever wins the leadership contest will become majority leader in the Senate when the next Congress begins in January.
The contest is an early test of the influence Trump and his Maga movement will have on Congress as he returns to power. Trump suggested on social media Sunday that he could bypass lawmakers to speed up appointments, although the practice has not been used since Barack Obama took office following the Court’s decision. Supreme Court 2014.
Senate Republicans will vote on their next leader in a secret ballot on Wednesday. The Party has gain control of the Senate and will likely also maintain his control of the House of Representatives, according to the Cook Political Report.
While Thune and Cornyn are considered the frontrunners, Scott, who was just elected to a second term in the Senate, has received endorsements from several key Republican senators, including Marco Rubio, Bill Hagerty, Ron Johnson and Rand Paul. Hagerty and Rubio are considered top contenders for cabinet positions in the new term Trump management.
“Any leader of this new majority must be able to work closely with President Trump to advance the America Above agenda,” Hagerty said on social media platform X on Saturday. all his.”
“That’s why I want to see a Senate majority leader who can work with me on Trump’s agenda to unify Senate Republicans,” he added. On Wednesday, I will vote for Rick Scott.”
Right-wing figures Tucker Carlson, Glenn Beck and Charlie Kirk, billionaires Elon Musk and Robert F Kennedy Jr. has expressed support for Scott’s bid.
Scott has presented himself as the best candidate to carry out Trump’s legislative plan.
“We have to change the way the Senate is run to accomplish Trump’s agenda,” Scott told Fox News on Sunday. “I talked to my colleagues. I think everyone realizes that we need to change. So the question becomes: who will make sure we get these things done?”
Trump has not endorsed a candidate in the race but weighed in on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, saying any Republican seeking the office should support in-hour appointments recess – taken when the Senate is not in session – to allow positions in his incoming government to be taken. be filled “in a timely manner”.
He also called on senators to limit the appointment of judges during the difficult period from now until January when the Democrats still retain the majority.
“No judges should be confirmed this time around as Democrats seek to attack their judges as Republicans vie for leadership,” he wrote.
Allowing recess appointments would essentially bypass Congress and greatly expand the president’s power. Neither Trump nor Biden were able to schedule recess appointments during their presidency because of the way the chambers arranged their schedules.
Scott on Sunday spoke out in support of X’s run, saying he agreed with Trump and would do “whatever it takes” to get his nominations approved as quickly as possible.
Cornyn and Thune also suggested they might be open to this tactic.
Thune said Sunday that he would consider using recess appointments to quickly put Trump’s nominees in place.
“All options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments,” he said on X.
Cornyn vowed to keep the Senate in session on holidays and weekends if Senate Democrats threaten to block Republican picks, adding: “The Constitution clearly empowers the President to the appointment of appointments during breaks.”
