have been circling that former President Donald Trump has been courting Scott behind the scenes to attempt a challenge against McConnell for the No. 1 Senate Republican slot, but Scott said he does not intend to run for the top spot when he talked to reporters Wednesday morning.
“There’ll be an election. ... Right now, I don’t know if anybody is going to run against Leader McConnell,” he told reporters. “I don’t have a plan to run.”
Scott, who is the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has differed from McConnell since he revealed an agenda for the party that McConnell publicly rejected. At the time, Republicans faced criticism from Democrats for not releasing a clear slew of policy objectives should they win the midterm elections.
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Democrats saw an opening in Scott’s proposal, exploiting a provision that stressed, “All Americans should pay some income tax to have skin in the game, even if a small amount. Currently, over half of Americans pay no income tax.” Democrats panned the measure as a tax increase on the poor. This prompted McConnell to distance Senate Republicans from the proposal.
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“If we’re fortunate enough to have the majority next year, I’ll be the majority leader. I’ll decide in consultation with my members what to put on the floor,” McConnell told reporters, per the Washington Post. “Let me tell you what would not be a part of our agenda: We will not have as part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within five years.”
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Trump has criticized McConnell during rallies in recent months, calling him an "old, broken-down crow" during rallies. He has also expressed dissatisfaction with the Senate minority leader’s blunt criticism of his actions surrounding the Capitol riot, which he derided as a “disgraceful dereliction of duty.”
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Recently, McConnell and Scott found themselves at odds again over bipartisan legislation addressing gun violence in the United States. McConnell backed the measure, while Scott voted against it. McConnell's support for the bill drew criticism from some conservative corners of the Republican Party, including Fox News's Tucker Carlson.
Scott stressed that he talks with the former President on a regular basis, about every two to three weeks, indicating friendliness with the heavyweight Republican. He added that he assumes Trump will pursue reelection in 2024.
Although Scott denies having plans to run for the top Senate Republican spot, Trump has encouraged him directly to pursue the post, Politico reported. Seeking to shift the focus, Scott reportedly told the President Republicans should focus on winning the Senate. During his remarks to reporters Wednesday, the senator said he believes the GOP will control 54 Senate seats after the midterm elections.
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