According to the United States ** February 29 **, the most likely candidates to succeed McConnell as the Republican leader of the US Senate include three senators who are known as the "three Johns" in Congress.
McConnell, the longest-serving party leader in the Senate, announced on February 28 that he would not seek re-election as Senate Republican leader. Senate Republicans will elect a new leader in a closed-door ballot in November, with the latter taking office in January.
On February 5, 2020, U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell held a press conference after the vote on the Trump case.
According to NBC News, Senate Texas Republican John Cornyn issued a statement on the same day announcing his intention to succeed McConnell. In previous years, Corning had served as McConnell's deputy, the "No. 2 man" of the Senate Republican "whip," and twice as chairman of the Republican Senate National Committee. This committee assists Republicans in running for the Senate and raising money for them.
John Thune, the current Republican "whip" in the Senate, has not hidden his desire to run for Republican leadership. He is unable to run for a second term because of term limits and has not publicly announced his candidacy, saying only that he is having extensive discussions with his colleagues about the future of the Senate and the new Republican leader.
Senate Republican No. 3 John Barasso is not currently in Washington, but is traveling to Arizona to campaign for Carrie Lake, a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate from Arizona. NBC News reported and analyzed that for Barasso, whether he is a leader or a "party whip", it is a promotion.
In addition, Steve Daines, the current chairman of the Republican National Senate Committee, and Senator Rick Scott of Florida may also join the race. However, according to NBC News, Daines has less seniority in the senior Republican Party in the Senate, and Scott failed to challenge McConnell in the Senate Republican leadership election in 2022, which is more controversial within the party, and both are unlikely to win.