The gender pay gap has stayed largely unchanged for 20 years. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) ", Asked if anyone is jockeying behind the scenes for McConnell's job, Braun said, "there's none of that been exhibited that I've observed.". Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images. Both senators said their most important election right now is this November, when they have a real shot at taking back the majority. Romney stayed neutral during his colleague Sen. Mike Lees (R-Utah) reelection campaign, as his friend Evan McMullin ran against Lee as an independent. I have a hard time seeing how they get out of the hole by next November., THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. on Tuesday said no one's making a move to replace McConnell. The last leadership change on the Democratic side happened in a near-instant, with the late Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announcing his retirement and immediately endorsing Sen. Chuck Schumer to succeed him. Thune serves on the Senate Commerce Committee and has played a leading role in telecommunications issues, including efforts to promote broadband. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! But as one Senate Republican put it, the potential competition between the two sets up a really difficult choice for the conference. But I havent made a decision, finally. Market data provided by Factset. Noem said on Twitter shortly after that Thune was a friend and she would not run against him. That means Republicans merely need a net gain of one seat to retake the Senate in November's midterms to regain control of the chamber they lost a year ago when they were narrowly swept in Georgias twin Senate runoffs. Hes great. Sen. So in the end, whether or not [Trump] was going to be involved in my race wasnt an issue in whether or not to run," Thune told Fox News. "As long as he is in the Senate, he's going to want to be the leader, in the minority or the majority," Braun said. GOP senators say they don't know of any Republican senator who plans to challenge McConnell for the top Republican leadership slot in the Senate despite his rocky relationship with Trump, who remains popular with Republican base voters. Watch live: Biden delivers remarks on Secretary of Labor nominee Julie Su, Schumer, Jeffries ask Murdoch to stop Fox hosts lying about 2020 election, Republicans vow to block Biden FAA pick as Democrats double down, Christie: Trump grand jury foreperson did a lot of damage to case, McCarthy, GOP pump brakes on release of Jan. 6 footage to Tucker Carlson, China, Belarus call for cease-fire, negotiations in Ukraine, Bill Maher: I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level, Two more House Republicans call for home-state Rep. Santos to be ousted, Watch live: Garland testifies before Senate panel at oversight hearing, Zero-calorie sweetener popular in keto diets linked to strokes, heart attacks, Senate group wades into tough talks on Social Security. Thune is allowed to serve two more years as the Republican whip before he will be required to step down from the post at the end of 2024 because of the Senate Republican Conferences term-limit rules for leadership posts. The decision by Senate Minority Whip John Thune to run for reelection sets up an intricate shuffle among a trio of Republicans named John to succeed McConnell. But theres no more prominent GOP Trump foil these days than Romney. And as Cornyn put it: I try to always be prepared., Sen. Mike Mansfields record for leadership longevity, agonized for nearly a year over running again, last leadership change on the Democratic side happened, massive financial transfers to the party committee. But if you look at how focused [Romney] is on business policy, what a good reputation he has as a member of the conference, Tillis added, hes got all the foundation he needs if he wants to seek re-election.. It wasn't just electoral calculations that led to questions about Thune's political future in the Senate but family considerations as well. ", Looking to the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, Thune predicted "that well have a candidate emerge that can really take hold out there and speak to the issues that are important to the American people and become a standard-bearer for the Republican Party that will put right-center, conservative solutions on the table to address the challenges and problems the country faces. ), the No. ', Greece's worst-ever rail crash kills dozens, crushes cars, Westown Association announces Milwaukee Night Market dates, FlyDubai announces record profit as Gulf air travel booms, Southeast's S.P.A.C.E. (Susan Walsh/Pool/AFP via Getty Images). Trump successfully chilled FBI from being willing to investigate anything related to him: Peter Strzok. McConnell has come under withering criticism from former President Trump over the past year after blaming Trump for inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. ), the No. Monaco also spoke on the FBIs mishandling of the Olympic gymnast sexual abuse case and threats against school board officials and educators. Trump successfully chilled FBI from being willing to investigate anything related to him: Peter Strzok. Murkowski herself may face punishment herself when the state party meets March 13, where it is expected to discuss her vote to convict Trump and debate any GOP effort to censure her. What that means, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. Hes served on diverse committees. But in another respect, Romneys just like any politician: He wants to win. While many Republican senators share McConnells view, others do not and are frustrated with the GOP leader for condemning the former President in harsh terms, arguing his comments have put them in a complicated position. Next year, the Senate will be narrowly divided with Democrats in charge, which may empower senators like Romney and Sinema to keep working together on issues like the minimum wage or immigration. However, Democratsclinched the majoritywhen Democratic U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, America's first-ever Latina senator, won her highly competitive reelection bid. Now House Republicans are taking over, a potential roadblock to bipartisan legislation hatched by centrists that passes the Senate but divides Republicans. But before he starts preparing to change offices, it's worth noting that some of the Republicans running for the Senate next year say they have no intention of supporting McConnell in 2023. ", But he stressed that "I want to help the team. Could a White House race be in his political future? And timing could be everything: Thune is subject to the same six-year term limits as whip that rotated Cornyn out of the spot. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. 2 Senate Republican who faces voters in South Dakota next year, told CNN in a statement. The 61-year-old once mulled running for president but has committed himself to the Senate after passing on national ambitions. Still, even with McConnells term not over until 2026, Republicans know that things can always change and change quickly. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) Im running for the US Senate to stand up for you, just like when I stood next to President Trump and supported his American First agenda, said Jane Timken, the former chair of the Ohio Republican Party who announced Thursday she would seek the states open Senate seat in 2022. Samuel Corum/Getty Images McConnell said in an interview that hes absolutely willing to do the same for Romney, and is pushing his colleague for another bid. 2 Senate Republican and a close ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), on Saturday announced he will run for reelection in 2022. Yet Murkowski points Romney down the path to running and winning as an anti-Trump Republican, for reasons beyond her backing from McConnell. Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which oversees the Senate GOPs campaigns, argued in a letter to colleagues that they need to start being far more bold and resolute than we have been in the past. McConnell confirmed Tuesday hell seek to remain party leader after this falls midterms, no surprise given his goal of surpassing the late Sen. Mike Mansfields record for leadership longevity a year from now. Schumer was not the whip at the time, but his political work on his partys behalf, as well as his relationship with Reid, helped elevate him to Democratic leader. Those term limits, however, do not apply to the top leader. And it frightened independent and moderate Republican voters, McConnell said of the midterm election losses on Tuesday. But it's worth noting for context that the far-right Alaskan isn't alone in adopting an anti-McConnell position. The longer answer is: Definitely yes. That is something Id like to pursue, Cornyn said Tuesday of the Senate GOPs top spot. Ive faced long odds: Getting the nomination in 2012 was a long shot, becoming a Republican governor in one of the most liberal states in America, Massachusetts. The veteran lawmaker admitted his long commutes and time away from home have taken a toll on his family, previewing his thinking in early December, in an interview with his local paper. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. | Link Copied! Thune has kept a tight lid on his thinking about his own reelection bid for months, despite routine peppering by reporters about whether he was running again in 2022. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. In a statement posted to Twitter, Thune said he is uniquely positioned to serve South Dakota and be a strong and effective senator who can deliver the results they expect.. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. He has consistently avoided answering questions about his relationship with Trump by saying hes focused on fighting President Bidens multi-trillion-dollar agenda in Congress and helping Republicans win back the Senate majority in 2022. Just because McConnell can still lead filibusters of legislation doesn't mean he'll stymie everything. Some senators think McConnells set to stay around as leader until the end of his Senate career, regardless of Trumps relentless attacks on him and calls for new leadership. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Tuberville said he thinks McConnell as compiled a good record over the past year and doesn't know of anyone looking to usurp his leadership. 2 Senate Republican leader. Sen. John Thune questions U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai as she testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 12, 2021. From McConnell pursue, Cornyn said Tuesday of the midterm election losses Tuesday. Questions about Thune 's political future in the Senate Commerce Committee and has played a role... Theres no more prominent GOP trump foil these days than Romney but it 's worth noting for that! 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