Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), vying to replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), criticized McConnell on Friday for “caving to Democrats.”
“We have Republicans in the Senate that are caving to Democrats for all sorts of horrible bills. Remember this so-called infrastructure bill?” Scott asked a crowd at the People’s Convention in Detroit. “That required Republican votes. Guess who gave it to them? Mitch McConnell.”
McConnell announced earlier this year he is stepping down as Senate GOP leader. Scott told the Turning Point USA event that new leadership is essential for the Republican Party’s future.
“We are changing the Senate. And I’m running again … There will be a leadership race, and we are going to win,” Scott declared. Former President Donald Trump is set to speak at the event on Saturday.
“Donald Trump had four years. He’s gonna have another four years. What’s going to slow him down? Washington insiders. Cause he needs — he’s gonna need a House and a Senate that supports his agenda,” Scott said. “If we don’t get new leadership, we’ll get the same old stuff: more spending, more debt, higher interest rates.”
Scott’s comments follow his claim that McConnell removed him from an influential committee position after his failed 2023 challenge to remove the then 80-year-old party leader. “I got kicked off of Commerce [Committee]. I mean, that’s clearly retaliation, no ifs, ands, or buts about it,” Scott said in May.
Scott also publicly disagreed with McConnell’s strategy during Georgia Senate hopeful Herschel Walker’s campaign, questioning McConnell’s commitment to a win in Georgia and criticizing him for investing funds in the campaign at the last minute. Walker lost by under 3% of the vote.
Scott joins Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and John Cornyn (R-TX) in the race to succeed McConnell’s leadership.
