{"id":2188768,"date":"2024-02-29T08:18:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T13:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-who-might-run-to-replace-mcconnell-as-senate-gop-leader-including-the-three-johns\/"},"modified":"2024-02-29T08:21:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T13:21:01","slug":"heres-who-might-run-to-replace-mcconnell-as-senate-gop-leader-including-the-three-johns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-who-might-run-to-replace-mcconnell-as-senate-gop-leader-including-the-three-johns\/","title":{"rendered":"Possible contenders to replace McConnell as Senate GOP leader include the &#8216;Three Johns"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fheres-who-might-run-to-replace-mcconnell-as-senate-gop-leader-including-the-three-johns%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2188768&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Speculation Mounts Over McConnell&#8217;s Replacement as GOP \u2063Leader<\/h2>\n<p>With Sen. \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/topic\/mitch-mcconnell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mitch McConnell<\/a> (R-KY) announcing on Wednesday his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/mcconnell-to-step-down-as-senate-republican-leader\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">intent to end \u200bhis reign<\/a> as GOP \u200dleader in the Senate, speculation\u2062 about who will run to replace him in \u200bthe role quickly began to mount.<\/p>\n<p>Top of \u200bthe list of potential contenders, according to early chatter, \u2064appears to be the so-called <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MZanona\/status\/1762897423347662961\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cthree Johns:\u201d<\/a> Sens. John Thune (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), and John Cornyn (R-TX).<\/p>\n<p>Thune is currently\u200c the second-ranked Republican\u200d in the chamber, \u200cserving\u2063 as minority whip \u2014 a\u200d role in which the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.senate.gov\/about\/origins-foundations\/parties-leadership\/party-whips.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">holder \u2064performs head counts<\/a> and rallies members of the party \u200cfor votes and quorum calls.<\/p>\n<p>The No. 3 Republican\u200c in the Senate is Barrasso, who serves as\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barrasso.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/biography\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">chairman<\/a> of\u2063 the Senate Republican Conference. Cornyn is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2023\/09\/01\/john-cornyn-leader-mitch-mcconnell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">former Republican whip<\/a> and ex-chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee tasked with \u2064getting Republicans elected to the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>None of the \u201cthree Johns\u201d appeared to be ready to make any \u200csort \u200bof announcement shortly after McConnell delivered remarks on \u2063the Senate floor declaring his plans to step down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat election is nine months away, and there is a \u200dmuch more important election \u200bbetween now and then,\u201d Barrasso said, \u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mkraju\/status\/1762909771462476003\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to CNN<\/a>. \u201cAnd that\u2019s the election that we need to take the presidency, and\u2064 the Senate, and \u2062the House and that\u2019s where my focus is right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thune released a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AndrewDesiderio\/status\/1762923867037638659\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement<\/a> \u2062that said, \u200d\u201cI look forward \u200dto having a discussion with my colleagues about what the future \u2062holds for the Senate Republican Conference\u2062 and \u200da new generation of leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fox News <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChadPergram\/status\/1762919319694946441\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reported<\/a> that Cornyn said he has \u201cmade no secret about my intentions,\u201d but declined to share plans on his timeline for\u2063 making \u2062a decision.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-9096\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1709228016684000&#038;usg=AOvVaw3A8dIKzOEyMTW901NFMo6o\">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+\u200d APP<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>McConnell\u2019s announcement comes has he faced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/news\/ted-cruz-calls-for-mcconnell-to-resign-from-leadership-as-backlash-to-border-deal-mounts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">blowback<\/a> from some GOP colleagues over his support of a border deal \u200bthat failed\u2063 to pass after months of bipartisan negotiations. And unlike other top\u2063 Senate Republicans, McConnell has\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/2nd-ranking-gop-senator-thune-endorses-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">not endorsed<\/a> \u2064former President Donald Trump or any other GOP candidates running \u200bfor the White House in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>During his speech on Wednesday, \u200bMcConnell said he will stay on as leader \u200dfor\u2062 the time being as his colleagues pick a new leader in\u200c November and that person will take on the role in January. He also indicated plans to remain \u200cas a senator for his full term, which ends in January 2027.<\/p>\n<p>The last \u2064time a GOP leadership election was \u2062held, in November of 2022, McConnell <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/11\/16\/1137104129\/mitch-mcconnell-wins-minority-leader-rick-scott-senate-republicans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prevailed<\/a> over a challenge by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).<\/p>\n<p>Some\u2063 Republican and\u200b conservatives have begun voicing support for Scott,\u2062 a former governor of Florida and chairman\u2064 of the\u200b National Republican Senatorial Committee, to mount another campaign for leader.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMitch McConnell stepping down provides a great opportunity for true conservative\u2062 leadership in the Senate. [Sen. Rick Scott] would make a great Republican leader,\u201d Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), chairman of the \u2062House Freedom Caucus, \u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepBobGood\/status\/1762913961710702860\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said in a post to X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Scott \u200creleased \u200ca <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kadiagoba\/status\/1762918130148348093\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement<\/a> on McConnell stepping down but did not \u200bimmediately announce a run\u2064 to replace\u200d him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have been very clear and \u200chave long believed that we need new leadership in the Senate that represents our voters and \u200cthe issues we were sent here to fight for,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs everyone knows, I challenged McConnell last \u200dyear,\u201d he \u200badded. \u201cThis\u200d is an opportunity to refocus our efforts on solving the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/happy-new-year-to-all-our-wonderful-readers\/\" title=\"All our wonderful readers, Happy New Year!\">significant challenges facing<\/a> our country and actually reflect the aspirations of voters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Among other names being\u2062 floated as possible candidates for\u2063 GOP leader was Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AndrewDesiderio\/status\/1762922197478212086\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Steve Daines<\/a> (R-MT), the current\u2063 chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee who is now focused on getting Republicans to win back the majority in the upper chamber.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What reasons have been given by Barrasso, Thune, and Cornyn for not making any official announcements about their candidacy for the GOP \u2063leader role?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Of GOP leader in January 2023. This timeline allows for a smooth \u2062transition of power and ensures \u200dthat the new leader has ample time \u200cto prepare for the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n<p>The speculation surrounding McConnell&#8217;s replacement has centered around the &#8220;three Johns&#8221; &#8211; Thune, Barrasso, \u200cand Cornyn. These three Senators have distinguished themselves within the Republican Party and\u200c have taken on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/january-6-pipe-bomber-still-unidentified-as-new-evidence-blows-up-fbis-narrative\/\" title=\"January 6 Pipe Bomber Still Unidentified as New Evidence Blows Up FBI's Narrative\">important leadership roles<\/a>. Thune, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/stefanik-announces-bid-for-house-gop-chair-faces-challenger-donalds\/\" title=\"Stefanik Announces Bid for House GOP Chair, Faces Challenger Donalds\">current minority whip<\/a>, is responsible \u2063for rallying party members for votes and quorum calls. Barrasso serves as the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, while Cornyn is a former Republican whip and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the \u200dswirling rumors, none \u2063of the &#8220;three Johns&#8221; have made any official announcements regarding their candidacy for the role. Barrasso&#8217;s focus is\u200b currently on the upcoming\u200b elections, stating that it is a more important\u200b priority at this time. Thune \u200dexpressed his eagerness to discuss the future of \u2062the Senate Republican Conference and the potential \u2063for new leadership. Cornyn, although acknowledging \u200dhis intentions, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-judge-arrested-in-texas-capital-accused-of-shooting-parked-cars-and-causing-collision\/\" title=\"Oklahoma judge nabbed in Texas capital for shooting cars and causing crash.\">remained \u200ctight-lipped<\/a> about his plans and timeline for making a\u200d decision.<\/p>\n<p>McConnell&#8217;s decision to \u200dstep down as GOP \u2063leader comes as he faces criticism from his own party over his support \u200bfor \u200ba border deal that ultimately failed to\u2062 pass. Additionally, McConnell has refrained from endorsing former President Donald Trump or any other GOP candidates for the 2024 presidential race, setting him apart from other top Senate Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, McConnell&#8217;s announcement has sparked speculation about his \u2062replacement as GOP leader in the \u200cSenate. The &#8220;three \u2062Johns&#8221; &#8211; Thune, Barrasso, and Cornyn &#8211; are considered as potential contenders for the role. However, no official announcements\u200b have been made, and the focus remains on the upcoming elections. McConnell&#8217;s decision to step down allows for a seamless transition of power \u200band gives\u2063 the new leader ample time to prepare for their duties in January 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) plans to step down as GOP leader in the Senate, sparking speculation about his replacement. The frontrunners, dubbed the &#8220;three Johns,&#8221; include Sens. John Thune, John Barrasso, and John Cornyn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1588,"featured_media":2188769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1983626196-scaled-e1709149613923.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2188768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1983626196-scaled-e1709149613923.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1588"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2188768"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188768\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2188769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2188768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2188768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2188768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}