3 minPolitics
Rick Scott Refuses to Back Thune for Senate Republican Leader
Republican Rick Scott has refused to support John Thune's re-election as Senate leader until the candidates outline their agenda. Several senators are seeking to postpone the vote, while the party deals with the aftermath of its defeat in the midterm elections.
Republican Senator Rick Scott has refused to support John Thune, who plans to run for re-election as leader of the Republican conference in the Senate. Scott insists that candidates must first clearly lay out their agenda, and that this agenda should, in his view, determine how senators vote. Thune is currently the only candidate for the post, so formally his re-election faces no competition.
Scott also said he will not run himself. He previously twice tried to win this leadership position, but was unsuccessful both times. His stance reflects a broader split within the conference: several Republican senators want to postpone the leadership vote itself. Senators Ron Johnson, Ted Budd, John Kennedy and Mike Lee signed a letter demanding a meeting with the leadership first. Jim Banks and Dave McCormick also support a postponement, although they did not sign the letter.
The backdrop to this struggle is the Republican defeat in the midterm elections held this autumn. Democrats gained a majority in the Senate, with 54 seats, and that number could grow. The results of the races in Mississippi and Alaska have not yet been finally determined. Republicans retain control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the presidency, until January, when Democrats will take over the majority. As a result, the conference has less time to regroup than is usual after elections.
Scott named a number of issues that he believes should be the focus of attention. Among them are a plan to balance the budget, a ban on stock trading for lawmakers that is on the agenda, and reform of the permitting system, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and the SAVE America Act. According to him, these priorities should determine how senators vote for leaders, rather than personal arrangements or seniority.
The intra-party debate is taking place alongside other leadership races among Republicans. Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan are running for leadership posts in the House of Representatives conference, so the leadership renewal will affect both chambers of Congress at the same time. Whether the vote on Thune will be postponed is not yet known, and the answer to this question will likely depend on the outcome of the meeting that the senators request in their letter.
Source: foxnews.com
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