Who is the next Senate GOP leader after Mitch McConnell?

[Bootes Void]

I can’t imagine him staying around much longer.what do you think?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Thune or Rick Scott

[Tekken_Guy]

I feel that Jim Banks seems like he’s a future senate leader in waiting but he may not be McConnell’s direct successor as he’ll only be two years a senator by the time McConnell’s out.

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

Thune, McConnell is definitely gone if D's keep the S after 24 because that means a Filibuster proof Trifecta if RS don't win MO, OH, AZ and MT

Scott would have been a better Minority Leader he could have definitely gotten RS to the majority in 24

[Lechasseur]

I'm thinking Rick Scott

It's not like the GOP Senate bench is that deep

[NewYorkExpress]

Depends on when McConnell steps down.

I'm honestly thinking Rubio. Tim Scott would be possible if he didn't want to stick to term limits.

[Consuming is good, it's what we're made for]

The guy who most recently tried to wrestle that title away from McConnell: Rick Scott.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Rick Scott is unpopular with his colleagues. Even conservatives like Blackburn and Lummis accused him of scamming donors after last year. If 2022 was a red wave I do think he would have had a shot maybe even to oust McConnell, but his shot at leadership is over.

Really the 3 main potential successors to Mitch are Thune, Cornyn and Barrasso, who all want the job. Cornyn is in a swing state, facing a primary by Ronny Jackson and is hated by the base so he's probably out. John Thune is well liked by his colleagues but is relatively moderate and is basically Mitch 2.0 (and Trump hates him). John Barrasso is probably the most likely successor, nobody loves him but nobody hates him. He's positioned himself with the ideological median of his party, not voting for far-right stuff but never signing onto compromise legislation that McConnell pushes for. I think he's likely the successor when McConnell retires/is primaried in 2026.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

McConnell has been trying to get the Kentucky legislature to pass a law so that his hand-picked successor can be appointed in the event that he leaves the Senate before the end of one of his terms. This is a (weak, but nonetheless extant) indicator that he anticipates staying in post until he dies or is too ill to serve another day.

Two years ago, Daniel Cameron topped this list according to the Intercept - IIRC, there were rumours even at that time w.r.t. Cameron planning his current bid for the governorship. It is quite possible McConnell plans to remain a Senator throughout the next two gubernatorial terms in Kentucky.

I expect him to cling on until 2032 and so think this discussion may be premature. Things move slowly in the Senate, but some stars will inevitably have fallen (and others risen) between now and then.

[oldtimer]

I can’t imagine him staying around much longer.what do you think?

The writing is on the wall that he will lose his primary in 2026.

He was never that popular within the republican party but his unpopularity has gone into overdrive these few years:

https://civiqs.com/results/favorable_mitch_mcconnell?uncertainty=true&annotations=true&zoomIn=true&party=Republican

His preferred successor is Thune and has cleverly undermined Cornyn who might be the alternative to Thune.

[oldtimer]

McConnell has been trying to get the Kentucky legislature to pass a law so that his hand-picked successor can be appointed in the event that he leaves the Senate before the end of one of his terms. This is a (weak, but nonetheless extant) indicator that he anticipates staying in post until he dies or is too ill to serve another day.

Two years ago, Daniel Cameron topped this list according to the Intercept - IIRC, there were rumours even at that time w.r.t. Cameron planning his current bid for the governorship. It is quite possible McConnell plans to remain a Senator throughout the next two gubernatorial terms in Kentucky.

I expect him to cling on until 2032 and so think this discussion may be premature. Things move slowly in the Senate, but some stars will inevitably have fallen (and others risen) between now and then.

McConnell is clearly not well, he is well passed his physical and mental prime and like with Harry Reid it would have been better for him and his own party if he had retired last time.
At least Reid eventually did retire, but too late.

I conclude that McConnell realizes the end of the line (political or health wise) is just ahead and wants to make sure about his succession before 2026.

[MATTROSE94]

Rick Scott, John Barrasso, or John Kennedy if I had to guess. I would prefer John Kennedy, as even though I disagree with him on a lot of policy issues, he is one of the smartest politicians currently in office and has a colorful personality and a great sense of humor.

[Mr. Smith]

Thune or Cornyn.

[Joe Biden 2028]

Fun fact, I met Trent Lott yesterday. He was senate majority leader from 1996-2002.

He was on my flight. I shook his hand and pointed out that I’m a teacher and he was majority leader when I was born!

I was flying back from DC to Memphis. His home is 2 hours south of Memphis in Mississippi. It’s cooling shaking hands with someone who personally knew every president since Nixon

[TheTide]

I don't like someone (such as Rick Scott) who has only been in Congress for a few years getting a leadership position. Then again, LBJ had only four years in the Senate before he became Democratic leader IIRC.

[Consuming is good, it's what we're made for]

Fun fact, I met Trent Lott yesterday. He was senate majority leader from 1996-2002.

He was on my flight. I shook his hand and pointed out that I’m a teacher and he was majority leader when I was born!

I was flying back from DC to Memphis. His home is 2 hours south of Memphis in Mississippi. It’s cooling shaking hands with someone who personally knew every president since Nixon

Should've asked him how he feels about Strom Thurmond.

[doc gerritcole]

tuberville has leadership experience, needs to update his playbook a bit but he'd be aite

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I don't like someone (such as Rick Scott) who has only been in Congress for a few years getting a leadership position. Then again, LBJ had only four years in the Senate before he became Democratic leader IIRC.

Frist became Majority Leader after only 8 years in congress.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

I can’t imagine him staying around much longer.what do you think?

The writing is on the wall that he will lose his primary in 2026.

He was never that popular within the republican party but his unpopularity has gone into overdrive these few years:

https://civiqs.com/results/favorable_mitch_mcconnell?uncertainty=true&annotations=true&zoomIn=true&party=Republican

His preferred successor is Thune and has cleverly undermined Cornyn who might be the alternative to Thune.

Yeah. Mitch has money and influence yes but he is DOA in a primary. Money can only get you so far when you're the most unpopular Senator in the country and routinely attacked by more popular Republicans. It's not like democrats would cross over to vote for him either.
He's more DOA in a primary in 2026 than Sinema would be if she ran as a Democrat next year.

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

Thune in 2025 Biden is tied on FL if we win FL it's over we will net a new S seat and we have 276 with the Rust belt

McConnell is retiring in 26 anyways of RS don't take the S the EC map is daunting in ME and NC anyways as S pickup 26 Tillis hasn't passed immigration reform like he said he would and Jeff Jackson is gonna run

[Bismarck]

Thune would be my guess.