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ArcticStones's avatar

In the primarily-behind-closed-doors contest to become Senate Majority Leader, John Cornyn has received one public endorsement and John Thune five, while Rick Scott has received eight (including Lee, Blackburn, Johnson and Cruz).

https://www.axios.com/2024/11/13/rick-scott-senate-republican-leader-forum

I’m really really hoping that one of the two not-100%-MAGA candidates wins this vote.

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Jonathan's avatar

Is that today?🤔

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ArcticStones's avatar

Yes, I believe so.

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Mark's avatar

Seems like the Johns will divide the normie vote and hand it over to Scott.

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ArcticStones's avatar

I wonder how this vote is conducted. Is a plurality sufficient, or will a candidate be eliminated to ensure that the winner must receive a majority vote?

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Jonathan's avatar

Secret ballot with majority required (most likely 2 rounds)

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Jonathan's avatar

I don't agree; I think one of them is first eliminated (imo Cornyn) and then one John wins the next round (betting McConnell is calling in lots of markers here)

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Mark's avatar

Hope you're right.

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Jonathan's avatar

in reality, since Rubio is slated for SOS, I can see Marco screwing Scott in the secret ballot (Rubio, Scott, and DeSantis all hate each other)

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Jonathan's avatar

Anyways, get ur popcorn !!

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Jonathan's avatar

He was eliminated first (secret ballot karma)

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Paleo's avatar

First ballot:

Thune: 23, Cornyn 15, Scott 13. Going to second ballot. And Two write-ins.

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Henrik's avatar

Lol at Scott placing third

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Henrik's avatar

Thune takes it on the 2nd 29-24

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ArcticStones's avatar

Huge relief! Not least the fact that Scott got only one-quarter of the vote and was eliminated first. This gives some hope that the Senate leadership and the Republican majority will not be entirely subservient to Trump.

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Toiler On the Sea's avatar

Scott is an asshole and generally unliked in the conference room. Mitch has lost some troops over the past few years (notably both TN Senators, Portman etc.) but the MAGA wing hasn't really gotten much bigger; Vance is gone, Tuberville/Blackburns are considered punchlines, Lee and Scott are both not liked etc. and the institutionalists still carry a solid majority of Senate Rs

I think behind closed doors nearly all of that wing despise Trump (and there's a fair case to be made that absent Trump's MAGA Senate candidates over the past 6 years Republicans could be at 60 votes there).

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ArcticStones's avatar

Nice analysis! I wonder whether there now will be a foundation for at least some cooperation with Senate Democrats. After all, Democrats have sought, and achieved, considerable bipartisan agreement.

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Toiler On the Sea's avatar

I think it will be essentially the same dynamic as in Trump's first term (and past two years). The Senate will generally hammer out bipartisan appropriations and non-controversial bills, the House GOP caucus will be unable to pass almost anything because of their extreme MAGA nihilist wing, and Johnson will need Dem votes to pass basically whatever the Senate agreed to.

That said, they'll go straight partisan reconciliation on a new tax bill and probably immigration, since that latter is where Trump has promised the most/spent the highest political capital. Although the ? is Thune's caucus willing to go where Trump and Stephen Miller want to go on immigration (back to pre-60s immigration law).

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Tim Nguyen's avatar

He's far worse than merely an asshole. He's a crook and committed the largest Medicare and healthcare fraud in US history. Asshole plead the 5th 75 times while his companies were under investigation. Scott was the swamp long before Trump decided to join the fray and likely outlast him. Scott is the absolute worst of crooks out there.

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