GOP senator has chickened out on challenging Mitch McConnell — here's why

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell narrowly dodged a leadership challenge when his prospective hopeful reversed plans following the 2022 midterm election.

"Senator Rick Scott of Florida was poised to challenge McConnell, Republicans briefed on his plans told me, until he decided against a bid Wednesday morning, when it became clear Republicans may not capture the majority and there was to be a Senate runoff in Georgia," Jonathan Martin reported for Politico. "Scott had cut an announcement video declaring his intentions, word had reached some prominent conservatives outside the Senate and a handful of GOP senators had gotten wind of his plan and started calculating just how many votes his longshot campaign could accrue at the leadership vote next week in the Capitol."

Scott chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the campaign arm of the GOP caucus.

His planned bid came against the backdrop of Donald Trump's longtime effort to oust McConnell, which the former president pushed on Fox News on election day.

Politico reported, "Scott’s challenge was not so much aimed at unseating the longtime Senate Republican leader as it was channeling the anger of grassroots conservatives, and the former president, who were peeved at McConnell’s criticism of the 'candidate quality' of this year’s roster of Senate GOP candidates. The idea was that those supposed mediocrities would romp to victory, credit Scott for his steadfast support and shame McConnell for his lack of faith -- while also starting to loosen the 80-year-old’s grip on his leadership post. But only one of those candidates – Ohio’s J.D. Vance – won his race outright."

McConnell advisor Josh Holmes told Politico, "if this is true, most of our voters will be very disappointed to learn that while they were focused on winning elections, their campaign chairman was plotting an ill-fated career advancement."

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy is facing a leadership challenge from the unofficial MAGA caucus and members of the Freedom Caucus.