U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said Tuesday he will seek to become Senate Republican leader, challenging longtime leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “
The status quo is broken and big change is needed,” Scott said in a Twitter post. “It’s time for new leadership in the Senate that unites Republicans to advance a bold conservative agenda. That’s why I’m running to be the Senate Republican Leader.”
The announcement came after the GOP fell short of taking control of the Senate during last week’s elections, losing key races in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Arizona. Scott chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which oversees campaigns, but clashed with McConnell on strategy. Scott, a former two-term Florida governor, was elected to the Senate in 2018.
McConnell, first elected to the Senate in 1984, has led Senate Republicans since 2006 and served as majority leader from 2015 to 2021.