McConnell exits Senate leadership vote with broad GOP support: ‘We’re not going anywhere’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell won praise from fellow Republican senators on Wednesday after a vocal minority in his party harshly criticized some of his leadership decisions over the past two years.

“The reality is there is overwhelming support for Mitch McConnell and his leadership,” Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said after the vote. “He’s been very successful in the last couple of years, not to mention the last few decades. And I think he’s in the best position to lead us into the future.”

“I think it validates the leader in a very big way,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, RN.D. “Who among us wouldn’t like to get, you know, 80% of the vote?”

“I think it’s strong,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said of McConnell’s position at the GOP conference.

MCCONNELL WINS SENATE LEADERSHIP ELECTION, OVERCOME SCOTT CHALLENGE

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters he is “not going anywhere” in the Senate.
(Bloomberg)

McConnell defeated a challenge by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, for the Senate GOP leader 37-10, with one senator voting “present.” That victory came even after former President Donald Trump repeatedly asked the man he nicknamed “Old Crow”: than McConnell’s hugged – Be removed as leader of the GOP.

“I’m not going anywhere,” McConnell said when asked if he would consider stepping aside after breaking the record for longest-serving party leader in Senate history, held by the late Sen. Mike Mansfield, D-Mont.

Scott, who has been at odds with McConnell politically for most of this year, announced his candidacy at the Senate GOP luncheon on Tuesday. Scott framed himself as the change candidate who wanted the GOP to be more aggressive in pushing a conservative agenda for voters.

“If you simply want to stay with the status quo, don’t vote for me,” he said in a letter to senators.

REPUBLICANS EXPRESS CONFIDENCE IN HOUSE LEADERSHIP FOR NEXT CONGRESS: “I LIKE OUR LEADERSHIP”

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., did not win his bid for GOP leader, but allies said his candidacy sparked important conversations among Republicans.
(Joseph A. Wulfsohn/Fox News Digital)

Scott also pushed to delay the leadership election until after the Dec. 6 Georgia runoff. But senators voted to hold the election Wednesday as scheduled.

“While today’s election results were not what we expected, this is far from the end of our fight to make Washington work,” Scott said in a statement. “My determination to stand up for what Republicans in this nation stand for has never been stronger than it is today.”

Some of Scott’s allies said his run, though unsuccessful, gave them an optimistic outlook for the party’s future. The debate between the two, they said, could force McConnell to make some changes.

“I told Leader McConnell that this has been the healthiest enterprise since I’ve been here in terms of caucus discussion,” said Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind. “And Rick, in my mind, took it to where we had an argument.”

MITCH MCCONNELL is on track to become the longest-serving leader in SENATE history

Braun added, “I think it’s probably going to make sure that 50 members, depending on where we are, that we all feel like we’re part of the process. And I think that’s healthy.”

WITHOUT RICK SCOTT LOSES TO MITCH MCCONNELL IN GOP SENATE LEADERSHIP BID

“I think our discussion was very valuable in terms of how we’re going to proceed [in the next Congress]” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who also endorsed Scott. “I think it will be a more collaborative process.”

Others were more suspicious.

“To me, anyway, it wasn’t about him,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said of McConnell. “It was about the direction of the conference, how we campaign … and also kind of a legislative approach moving forward. And I think the leadership election is the best opportunity to start those conversations. So I wanted to delay it. And my fear is that when they happen, those conversations stop.”

“Let’s do this continue to give in to the Democrats? I hope the answer is no. And I hope the leadership will think twice after this,” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.

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McConnell could be tested very soon on how well he can hold his conference together and meet the demands of its more conservative members. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital that he and several senators demanded that Republicans block a defense policy bill until the Senate holds a vote on “ending the mandate of the vaccine in the army”.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Kelly Phares and Caroline McKee contributed to this report.