Rick Scott for Senate GOP leader? Rep. Greg Steube thinks he’d be ‘great leader’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube said Thursday that Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., would make a “great leader” of the Senate GOP once Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., steps down.
McConnell announced he will step down from the leadership post come November, but will serve out the remainder of his term.
Steube made the comments on Newsmax.
“He would be a great leader of the Senate, certainly more conservative than what Mitch McConnell has been,” Steube said, calling for “younger” Republicans to gain influence.
“The rank and file members that are getting elected – more than 65% of them in the House have gotten elected either when Trump was president or since Trump has been president – are bringing an America-first agenda to the House and Senate,” the congressman said.
“That’s the type of leadership that we need,” Steube said. “We need an America-first leadership and hopefully – when Trump is in the White House and we have America-first conservative leaders in our House and the Senate – we can move this country forward and out of the disastrous policy that Joe Biden has put us in over the last three years.”
Scott thanked Steube for the kind words, and has not ruled out a Senate leadership bid. He already had challenged McConnell for the role after the 2022 midterms, unsuccessfully.
“Thank you, @RepGregSteube,” Scott said. “I’m proud to work with Greg and our colleagues in the Florida delegation to fight for conservative values and Make Washington Work for families in the Sunshine State.”
Scott reacted Wednesday afternoon to McConnell’s announcement, reiterating calls for new GOP leadership.
“This is an opportunity to refocus our efforts on solving the significant challenges facing our country and actually reflect the aspirations of voters,” he said.
The Florida Republican in 2022 had campaigned against the “status quo” in his challenging of McConnell.
“We must start saying what we are for, not just what we are against,” Scott previously said. “I do not believe we can simply continue to say the Democrats are radical, which they are. Republican voters expect and deserve to know our plan to promote and advance conservative values.”
