A contest that had been simmering in the background was suddenly thrust front and center this week by Mr. McConnell’s earlier-than-expected announcement that he would not seek to remain his party’s leader.
The contenders immediately began wooing their colleagues for the chance to become the first new face of their party in the Senate in almost two decades.
“It is a lot of runway,” Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No.
2 Republican, said about the months remaining before the party’s first seriously contested leadership race since Mr. McConnell took over in 2007.
The true electorate is not even known yet, since those voting for next year’s leader will include anyone who wins a seat in November — and exclude anyone who loses.
Persons:
Mitch McConnell, McConnell’s, John Thune of, McConnell
Organizations:
Capitol
Locations:
John Thune of South Dakota