Sen. Mitch McConnell was reelected as leader of the Republicans Wednesday, quashing a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, the Senate GOP campaign chief who criticized McConnell after a disappointing performance in the midterm elections that kept Senate control with Democrats.
GOP senators met for more than three hours Wednesday to elect their leadership posts for the new Congress, which will be seated in January. McConnell on 37 votes to Scott’s 10, with one senator voting “present,” GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said.
“I don’t own this job. Anybody who wants to run for it can feel free to do so,” McConnell told reporters after the vote. “I’m not in any way offended by having an opponent or having a few votes in opposition.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” McConnell said after the nearly four-hour closed-door meeting. He said he was “pretty proud” of the outcome but acknowledged the work ahead. “I think everybody in our conference agrees we want to give it our best shot.”
