Senator John Cornyn announced his candidacy to succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, aiming to maintain establishment conservative leadership in the Senate.
Cornyn emphasized the need for transparency, communication, and a return to regular Senate processes.
“I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell,” Cornyn said.
The rift between establishment and hardline conservatives has been a point of contention, with calls for a change in leadership style.
“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,” Cornyn said.
“We will restore the important role of Senate committees and reestablish the regular appropriations process, rather than lurch from one crisis to another. And we will return power back to our members; there will be no more backroom deals or forced votes on bills without adequate time for review, debate, and amendment,” he said, stating that Republicans will “improve communication, increase transparency, and ensure inclusion of every Member’s expertise and opinion.”
McConnell’s retirement after 17 years as GOP Senate leader has spurred discussions about the future direction of Senate Republicans.
“Anyone wanting to be the next Senate GOP leader should tell Senate Republicans — as specifically as possible — how he or she would do the job differently than it’s been done since 2007,” Sen. Mike Lee wrote on X.
