Texas Senator John Cornyn has entered the race to succeed Mitch McConnell as the next Senate Republican Leader.
Cornyn’s announcement comes just one day after McConnell announced that he will step down from the role in November.
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Driving the news: After serving on the Texas Supreme Court and as the state’s Attorney General, Cornyn was elected to the Senate in 2002 and has been re-elected three times.
- Cornyn served as the Senate Majority Whip from 2015-2019 under McConnell, following two years as the Minority Whip.
Cornyn’s announcement: “I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell. I have learned a lot during my time both in and out of Senate leadership. During my two terms as NRSC Chair, we shrunk Democrats’ majority by five seats and laid the foundation to retake the majority in 2014. Then as the Republican Whip, I helped President Trump advance his agenda through the Senate, including passing historic tax reform and remaking our judiciary – including two Supreme Court Justices. Throughout my time I’ve built a track record of listening to colleagues and seeking consensus, while leading the fight to stop bad policies that are harmful to our nation and the conservative cause,” 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. From experience, I have learned what works in the Senate and what does not, and I am confident Senate Republicans can restore our institution to the essential role it serves in our constitutional republic. We will improve communication, increase transparency, and ensure inclusion of every Member’s expertise and opinion. 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.”
- “I am ready to get to work and look forward to continuing to engage with my colleagues.”
