Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announces bid to succeed Mitch McConnell as Republican leader
U.S. Sen John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, is running to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell as Republican leader.
McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, announced Wednesday he was stepping down from the post in November.
“I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell,” Cornyn said in a Thursday statement, outlining his work in the Senate and leadership experience.
“Throughout my time I’ve built a track record of listening to colleagues and seeking consensus, while leading the fight to stop bad policies that are harmful to our nation and the conservative cause,” Cornyn said.
There’s been speculation that Cornyn would eventually run for the leadership role. On Wednesday, following McConnell’s announcement, Cornyn said, “I’ve made no secret of my intention,” according to The Texas Tribune.
Cornyn was elected to the Senate in 2002. He previously served as Republican Whip from 2013 to 2019. He is on the Senate Finance, Intelligence and Judiciary Committees.
Before heading to Washington, Cornyn was a district judge, a Texas Supreme Court Justice and Texas Attorney General.
Cornyn was not available for an interview Thursday.
Cornyn in his Thursday statement said he believes “the Senate is broken.”
“The good news is that it can be fixed, and I intend to play a major role in fixing it,” Cornyn said. “From experience, I have learned what works in the Senate and what does not, and I am confident Senate Republicans can restore our institution to the essential role it serves in our constitutional republic.”
He promised to “improve communication, increase transparency, and ensure inclusion of every Member’s expertise and opinion.”
“We will restore the important role of Senate committees and reestablish the regular appropriations process, rather than lurch from one crisis to another,” Cornyn said. “And we will return power back to our members; there will be no more backroom deals or forced votes on bills without adequate time for review, debate, and amendment.I am ready to get to work and look forward to continuing to engage with my colleagues.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday criticized the idea of Cornyn serving in the leadership role.
“It will be difficult for @JohnCornyn to be an effective leader since he is anti-Trump, anti-gun, and will be focused on his highly competitive primary campaign in 2026,” Paxton said in a post on X, previously called Twitter. “Republicans deserve better in their next leader and Texans deserve another conservative Senator.”
Cornyn has endorsed Trump for president in 2024. The endorsement came after Cornyn told reporters in May that he thinks “President Trump’s time has passed him by” and “the most important thing for me is that we have a candidate who can actually win,” according to the USA Today Network.
Cornyn received some push back the aftermath of Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde for his role in negotiating gun legislation.
Paxton in September, fresh off his Senate impeachment trial where he was acquitted, said “everything is on the table for me” when asked about challenging Cornyn in 2026 in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, according to the Associated Press.
“Hard to run from prison, Ken,” Cornyn said in a post on X, responding to Paxton.
Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa in a statement called Cornyn “another Mitch McConnell in sheep’s clothing striving for a shred of relevance.”
This story was originally published February 29, 2024 at 9:54 AM.
