Marco Rubio just dropped a tweet calling on Senate Republicans to postpone their leadership vote scheduled for next week.
His stated reasons for doing so are that “First we need to make sure that those who want to lead us are genuinely committed to fighting for the priorities & values of the working Americans (of every background) who gave us big wins in states like #Florida.”
Here’s the tweet:
The Senate GOP leadership vote next week should be postponed
First we need to make sure that those who want to lead us are genuinely committed to fighting for the priorities & values of the working Americans (of every background) who gave us big wins in states like #Florida
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 11, 2022
Wow. That sounds like a shot right across McConnell’s bough. But maybe not just McConnell.
Senator Rick Scott suggested just yesterday that he’d like to replace McConnell.
Look it’s hard to say what Rubio is really suggesting in this short tweet, whether he might want to run to be leader of the Senate himself or whether he might support Scott as replacement.
But one thing does seem rather clear, that he’d like to see someone other than McConnell leading Republicans in the Senate.
As you might imagine, there are a ton of responses to Rubio’s statement:
Exactly right. I don’t know why Senate GOP would hold a leadership vote for the next Congress before this election is finished. We have a runoff in #GASenate – are they saying that doesn’t matter? Don’t disenfranchise @HerschelWalker https://t.co/atIETyoCKY
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) November 11, 2022
Well this is huge. Huge. HUGE. https://t.co/2HAnhBcBgD
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) November 11, 2022
If a united GOP is a strong GOP, Rubio is clearly a solid candidate for Leader. While an establishment figure in many good ways, he also embraces and is embraced by many America First folks, doesn't have Mitch's baggage of utterly despising voters, and is appealing and savvy. https://t.co/2HAnhBc3r5
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) November 11, 2022
So proud of my Senator!
We should not hold leadership elections in the House or Senate until we know exactly who will constitute the Republican conferences in each chamber.
Marco knows we must be very deliberate about this & make good choices for the people! https://t.co/NcuAvoiyva
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 11, 2022
Not everyone on the right thinks this is a good idea…like Hugh Hewitt:
Hard to think of better way to lose GA runoff than even a faux leadership battle in interim. @LeaderMcConnell is best GOP congressional leader of my lifetime and he saved the Constitution w/ his “No hearings, no votes” declaration after death of Justice Scalia. Play the #LongGame https://t.co/4PJgartoI1
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) November 11, 2022
Same applies in the @HouseGOP caucus where reporters have dug up some murmurs about not electing @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy Speaker-designate McCarthy. As w/ any delay over @LeaderMcConnell return to helm of @SenateGOP any fuss over Speaker McCarthy is deeply injurious to party.
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) November 11, 2022