(This is why David Webb calls the Senate "The Club of 100.")
The Daily Caller spoke with a number of Senate staffers, current and former, about a possible McConnell replacement and all of them were on the same page, saying that there will be no outsider who will challenge McConnell for leadership and win. The Caller granted anonymity to allow discussion on a sensitive topic.
“The alternative is really just a look-a-like in Cornyn or Thune. My understanding is that Thune is likely to really inherit the McConnell infrastructure and he seems to be the one that is likely to get it. At some point when McConnell does leave in some form or fashion, I don’t think Cornyn is without a shot. I think he has a chance but I don’t see anybody else. I don’t see a viable outsider alternative coming into play,” a former Senate Chief of Staff told the Caller of Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota.
“I put the Senate maybe into three camps. So, there are strong McConnell allies. There are the people who don’t like McConnell and voted against him and are like actual outsiders and there’s the folks in the middle the frankly. A plurality of them were indifferent to McConnell, but afraid of their own shadow and will always support McConnell or whoever is the leader. There’s a process, if you will, and that is very likely to stay the same,” the former Senate Chief of Staff continued.
“I don’t think anyone is actually going to step up. Rick Scott stepped up to his credit, but even if you had maybe someone who was more associated with the MAGA-Right or the populist realignment, I still don’t think it will make a difference because of that plurality people who don’t really do much, but always are willing to support the leadership and always support the establishment.”
A current Senate aide also said Thune or Cornyn would be the most likely options to succeed McConnell and even said that Thune is doing McConnell’s job for him currently.
https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/07/like ... te-leader/
