Who should lead them in 2025 and beyond? • Nebraska Examiner
WASHINGTON — Shortly after Election Day, U.S. Senate Republicans will face major decisions in the chamber and national party as they pick a new leader.
Once the election dust settles and the balance of power in the Senate is determined, senators will gather behind closed doors to choose who will lead their session. Come January, the man will become one of the more important and influential players in the U.S. government and a key figure in Republican messaging and fundraising.
Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Rick Scott of Florida and John Thune of South Dakota have all publicly announced they are seeking the position. Thune is currently the minority whip and is the No. 2 leader of Senate Republicans. Cornyn served as whip before him.
The colleague-backed congressman will replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has led his party through three presidential terms since 2007 on plans for natural disaster aid, COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic, two impeachments and the Jan. 6 insurrection took multiple votes.
McConnell, who served as majority leader when Republicans controlled the Senate, has been at the center of dozens of key negotiations and has ensured his position benefits his home state of Kentucky.
The Republicans who succeed him will have to navigate choppy political seas in the coming years as the party continues to cling to Reagan-era policies that many still value while adapting to the brand of conservatism championed by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
U.S. Newsroom spoke with Republican senators to find out what qualities they think the next Republican leader will need to win votes, and the challenges that person will face in the coming years.
While only one senator was willing to weigh in on the preferred candidate, many said they felt drawn to a leader who made a point of pushing legislation through the House, listening closely to lawmakers and building strong ties with what they hoped would be a Trump administration. interest.
Looking for the main force
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said he is looking for a “competent” Republican leader who will listen to lawmakers and work behind the scenes.
“I don’t want to see leaders in TV ads, I don’t want to see them in Senate races, I don’t want them to be the deciding factor in the days leading up to the election,” Hawley said. “I want someone who can be the anchor and be able to work with the membership to achieve our priorities and then get the job done.”
West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said the next Republican leader should stick to conservative priorities while also being able to negotiate bipartisan deals during what is expected to be a divided government. Democrats narrowly control the Senate, but Republicans are expected to gain a majority in the election.
“I want someone who can be strong in the face of opposition, make strong arguments, and not be afraid to take it to the other side when needed, but also someone who can get into the room when it’s hard and make the right argument. Negotiate,” she said.
Capito acknowledged that the outcome of the presidential election could have an impact on who becomes the next Republican leader.
“(It) just depends on who wins,” she said.
Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said his choice would be “the most important vote I’ll ever cast.”
“You vote for president, that’s important, but my vote is one vote out of 150 million votes, or whatever. But this vote will be 1 vote, hopefully 53 votes, so I think it has a big Weight,” Marshall said. “I think it’s very important that we elect a majority leader who shares the same priorities as President Trump.”
Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty said the first criterion for the next Republican leader will be their “ability to get along well with President Trump and the incoming administration.”
“The first 100 days are important and we need to work very closely together to make sure we are successful,” Hagerty said.
There is no guarantee that voters will elect Trump as the next president in this year’s presidential election. The next Senate Republican leader could end up working with the administration of Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
That will require Republican senatorial picks to walk a tightrope on issues such as Cabinet secretary confirmation votes, judicial nominations, must-pass legislation and possible Supreme Court nominations.
Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said he is vetting candidates based on who is the most savvy, strategic, patient and inclusive.
The person must also be “willing to test his assumptions against his critics’ arguments and be willing to ask God for money if necessary,” Kennedy said. McConnell is known as the Republican Party’s preeminent fundraiser.
Chairman’s influence
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, said she would vote for a candidate who is willing to devote more time to debating and voting on bipartisan legislation.
“I think it’s a real problem,” Collins said. “I hope we go back to the days when committee chairs held the power. If they and their ranking members could introduce a bill, it would be scheduled for consideration.
Collins, a moderate in a Senate chamber made up of conservative members, said she hopes the next Senate Republican leader recognizes “that we are a big tent party and we need to be inclusive in our approach.”
North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee, said he expected Republican leaders to follow “standing orders on appropriations.”
“We got them through committee on a bipartisan vote, but they didn’t come to the meeting,” Hoeven said of the dozen annual government funding bills. “We need to give them the floor, we need to have an amendment process, we need to take action on the bill and re-vote the bill, which are called standing orders. I think the most important key for our next leader is to be able to do that. a little.
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt has begun talking to candidates and is evaluating their plans for the Senate schedule, specifically bringing forward annual government appropriations bills for debate and amendments.
“I wonder how we’re going to get the appropriations process back on track; like, how are we actually going to move the ball on the court,” Britt said. “I wonder how we’re going to really increase the courage of committees and committee processes.”
Britt, the ranking member on the Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee, expressed frustration with how much time is being spent on confirming judicial nominees, something both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and McConnell support.
Senate proceedings are much more time-consuming than House debate rules. Legislation can take weeks to advance through the filibuster process, which requires 60 votes to advance a bill and requires leaders to negotiate which amendments will receive a floor vote.
Unlike the House of Representatives, the Senate is also responsible for vetting and confirming executive branch nominees such as Cabinet secretaries, as well as judicial nominees. With a new president in place, 2025 will mean many confirmation votes.
“When we have a leader who really knows how to lead, they put appropriations bills on the table and they figure out how to encourage members,” Britt said, adding, “A weak leader People consolidate all power, and that’s what I think we have now, unfortunately, with Chuck Schumer.
“Get things done”
Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford said whoever he votes for needs to “get the job done, done, done.”
“We have to be able to have our committees do their work, develop legislation, negotiate and take action,” Lankford said.
Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst said whoever takes over as the next Republican leader must be able to communicate well with senators.
That person “has to be a strategic person who certainly knows how to work on the field. And then, fundraising is part of it.
Arkansas Sen. John Bozeman said his vote will go to the person he believes can best build consensus and listen to lawmakers, although he has not yet decided which of the three contenders he will support.
“I’m definitely a hesitant person,” Bozeman said. “I think the reality is that most members just want the election to be over. They don’t want to deal with this issue until then.
Bozeman said the outcome of the battle for control of the Senate in the November election could influence the candidates he and his colleagues choose to lead them in the next Congress.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said the next Republican leader should be aligned with Republican voters and the issues that matter to them.
“I think this is someone who is relatable and understands where our constituents stand,” Rubio said.
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley declined to list any characteristics he thought the next leader would need, saying he didn’t want any of the three to figure out his options.
“I don’t want to tell you this because this is what I told all three people who came to my office – I said, ‘I’m not going to tell any of you. You’re all my friends. You’re not going to know that I voted. To whom,” Grassley said. “If I answer your question, they’re going to start thinking about who I’m going to vote for.”
Grassley said the first big challenge for the next leader will be negotiating a tax bill in 2025 that addresses expiring elements of the 2017 Republican tax law.
Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran said the roles will be important in deciding who he will vote for, but he said he has not yet created a rating scale.
“I’ll know who I’m going to vote for before the November election,” Moran said. “Regardless of the makeup of the House, Senate and White House, those characteristics that I think are important are going to be important.”
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson endorsed Scott’s bid for Republican leadership, saying he preferred someone who had served as governor and worked in the private sector. He was the only senator to speak to The Nation’s Newsroom and reveal the results of his vote, which will be conducted by secret ballot.
He said Scott was “willing to solve tough problems.”
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Republicans have “a lot of good options” among the three and he hopes someone can carry the Republican message.
