Sen. Rick Scott announces plans to run for Senate Republican Leader
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) departs the Senate floor following a vote to proceed to the Inflation Reduction Act on August 6, 2022 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Senate plans to work through the weekend to vote on amendments to the Inflation Reduction Act,
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Florida Sen. Rick Scott announced Wednesday he's running to become the next Senate Republican Leader.
Scott's announcement comes nearly three months after Sen. Mitch McConnell announced he would be stepping down from the role this November after serving in the position since 2007, making him the longest serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
Scott was first elected to the Senate in 2018, defeating Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson. Prior to that, he served two terms as Florida's governor.
READ: Who will replace Mitch McConnell as the Senate's top Republican?
This is also not the first time Scott has sought the position of Senate Republican Leader, having unsuccessfully run to unseat McConnell in 2022 after former President Donald Trump called for McConnell's removal.
Since then, Scott has continued to position himself as a Trump ally, including a recent visit to New York during which he called Trump's ongoing criminal trial "despicable."
South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Texas Sen. John Cornyn are also in the running to succeed McConnell.
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