Senator Tim Scott said this weekend that whoever is chosen to lead the Republican Party in Congress’ upper chamber will need to work “hand in glove” with former President Donald Trump.
Appearing on the “Sunday Morning Futures” program on Fox News over the weekend, Scott — the senator from South Carolina who is a former presidential candidate — was asked by host Maria Bartiromo who he’d like to lead his party in the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the long-time leader of the GOP in the Senate, announced in February that he’d be stepping down from his role in November.
Scott responded:
“I would like to see someone leading the Senate who is willing and able to work hand in glove with President Trump. We need a majority in the Senate that understands putting America first is working with President Trump.”
Scott has long been a significant backer of Trump, and he has become an even more outspoken supporter of his since Scott suspended his presidential nomination late last year. He has officially endorsed the former president, and has even been rumored as a possible pick as the running mate for Trump.
Democrats have had control of each of the last two Senates, but Republicans are hoping to flip the switch and retake control, which would mark the first time since Trump was in the White House. If they are able to do that, it could coincide with Trump winning the presidency and the GOP retaining control of the House as well.
During his Fox News appearance, Scott referred to what he believes the next leader of the Senate GOP should help the party focus on. He explained:
“Our priorities should start with closing the southern border. It should continue on having the next wave of tax cuts that gives Americans their money back, and then we should make sure that we have law and order in our streets.
“That’s not the person, John or John. It’s the concept that President Trump will lead our country to a brighter future. And we must have a new majority leader who wants to work hand in glove with Donald Trump.”
Whether to jump fully on board with Trump and his views is a question that many Republicans in the Senate have debated in the last year or so. Some senators, like Scott, are strongly in favor of throwing all their weight behind them.
Thus far, Senators John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota have announced already that they intend to run for the GOP leadership position.
Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming was asked whether he would consider a run for it, but he’s said he was focused on becoming the Republican whip, which he says he already has enough votes for.
Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee after Nikki Haley dropped out of the race following a disastrous performance on Super Tuesday.
