Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) gave his clearest indication yet that he will run to replace Mitch McConnell (R-KY) when the minority leader steps down in November.
“I’m seriously considering it,” he said Friday on The Charlie Kirk Show.
Scott ran for the post over a year ago, posing the first challenge to McConnell’s 17-year tenure atop the Senate Republican Conference before the new Congress was sworn in.
He lost that bid in a 37-10 vote but has remained one of the foremost critics of the minority leader, chiding him on everything from his leadership style to his decision to hand Democrats legislative victories ahead of the midterm elections.
“This is a big opportunity,” Scott said. “We could actually have somebody that actually believes in this country and believes in solving the problems of this country running the Senate when we get a majority in November.”
If Scott jumps into the race, he will be a long shot again. Three members of leadership — Sens. John Thune (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), and John Cornyn (R-TX) — are seen as the leading contenders.
Cornyn, the former whip, announced his candidacy on Thursday, while Thune, the current whip, rolled out a soft launch in which he acknowledged he is speaking with colleagues about the bid.
Scott had demurred on Thursday when asked if he would mount a second run. “The conference ought to come together on what they want to accomplish first, and then they pick their leader,” he told the Washington Examiner.
But he subsequently raised speculation he would decide sooner rather than later on Friday when his campaign teased a “major announcement” for next week.
Scott certainly sounded like a candidate for the job in speaking with Kirk, a conservative activist who supports the senator. He laid out a series of priorities in noting that Republicans would hold a special meeting on the future of the conference.
“Do we want to secure the border, do we want to balance the budget, do we want to make sure we’re not in forever wars?” Scott asked.
“If we want to go the same path we’ve been going down, you shouldn’t elect me,” Scott added. “I’m not going to do that. But if that’s the plan — if the Mitch McConnell plan is where we want to go going forward — then no one should pick me because I’m not doing it.”
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Scott has received early support from the right flank of the party since McConnell announced his retirement from the Senate floor on Wednesday. Reps. Bob Good (R-VA) and Greg Steube (R-FL) have offered their endorsement.
Scott, who is up for reelection in November, will be joined by members of the Florida congressional delegation for his cryptic announcement next Tuesday.
