Maharashtra polls: Congress suspends seven more rebel candidates
The newly suspended leaders include — Shamkant Saner, Rajendra Thakur, Aba Bagul, Manish Anand, Suresh Kumar Jethliya, Kalyan Borade, and Chandrapaul Chauksey.
Biden to lobby Trump not to abandon Ukraine during upcoming meeting
President Biden will urge President-elect Trump to not abandon Ukraine when the two meet on Wednesday, among other domestic and foreign policies, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Sunday. On Tuesday, Trump defeated Vice President Harris in the presidential election, and he will take office on Jan. 20, 2025. After Trump won his way back into the Oval Office, Biden congratulated him and invited the 45th, and soon to be 47th, president of the United States to the White House to ensure a peaceful transition of power. The two are expected to meet this Wednesday. On Sunday, Sullivan was a guest on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” where he said Biden’s top message would be ensuring his commitment to a peaceful transfer of power. Sullivan also said the president will talk to Trump about what is happening around the world in places like Europe, Asia and the Middle East. “The president will have the chance to explain to President Trump how he sees things, where they stand and talk to President Trump about how President Trump is thinking about taking on these issues when he takes office,” Sullivan said. “President Biden made clear when [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy was here in Washington a couple of months ago that we would spend all of the resources that were provided to us by the Congress on time and in full, meaning that by Jan. 20th we will have sent the full amount of resources and aid to Ukraine that Congress has authorized.” DEMOCRATS LOOKING TO POINT FINGERS AFTER ‘HUMILIATING’ ELECTION DEFEAT SHOULD START WITH MEDIA: WSJ COLUMNIST He continued by saying that over the next 70 days, Biden will make the case to Congress and the incoming administration that the U.S. should not walk away from Ukraine, because walking away “means more instability in Europe.” “Ultimately, as the Japanese prime minister said, if we walk away from Ukraine in Europe, the question about America’s commitment to our allies in Asia will grow,” Sullivan said. He would not say if Biden would propose specific legislation, but he explained that the president would make the case to continue sending resources to Ukraine beyond his term because Russia’s threat to Ukraine will remain. PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP TO MEET BIDEN IN OVAL OFFICE WEDNESDAY “The United States should not walk away from its commitment either to Ukraine or to the 50 nations that we have rallied in defense of Ukraine, in both Europe and Asia,” Sullivan said. The national security adviser’s comments came as Ukraine launched an attack on Moscow with at least 34 drones on Sunday. The attack was the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the beginning of the war. Trump has insisted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he were in the White House at the time. He also told Reuters that Ukraine may have to cede territory in order to reach a peace agreement, which Ukraine rejects and Biden has never suggested. TRUMP TEAM REACTS TO REPORT PRESIDENT-ELECT TOLD RUSSIA’S PUTIN NOT TO ESCALATE WAR WITH UKRAINE Washington has provided tens of billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. military and economic aid to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in February 2022, funding that Trump has repeatedly criticized and rallied against with other Republican lawmakers. According to the Government Accountability Office, Congress appropriated over $174 billion to Ukraine under Biden. The pace of aid is almost sure to drop under Trump, with Republicans set to take control of the U.S. Senate with a 52-seat majority. The war in Ukraine is entering what some officials say could be its final act after Moscow’s forces advanced at the fastest pace since the early days of the war. Any fresh attempt to end the war is likely to involve peace talks of some kind, which have not been held since the early months of the war. Moscow’s forces occupy around a fifth of Ukraine. Russia says the war cannot end until its claimed annexations are recognized. Kyiv demands all of its territory back, a position that has largely been supported by Western allies. Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump spends time golfing with grandkids at Mar-a-Lago after landslide election victory
President-elect Trump has been winding down from the recent election on the golf course, pictures show. Kai Trump, the 17-year-old daughter of Donald Trump, Jr., made an Instagram post sharing recent pictures with her grandfather on Sunday. “Sundays with Grandpa,” the proud granddaughter captioned the post, adding a heart. The post featured a selfie Kai Trump shared with the president-elect, along with videos she took on the golf course and a picture with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musk appeared to be with his 4-year-old son in one of the photos. The child, whose name is X, was originally named X Æ A-12 when he was born in 2020. FORMER GEORGIA SENATOR KELLY LOEFFLER TO SERVE ON TRUMP’S INAUGURAL COMMITTEE Chloe Trump, 10, was also photographed on the golf course with her grandfather. In one clip, the president-elect was seen watching Kai Trump from a golf cart while “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John was blasting in the background. The pictures were shared days after Trump decisively won the 2024 presidential election race held on Nov. 5. On Saturday night, The Associated Press called Arizona in Trump’s favor, ending the electoral vote count for the 2024 presidential election. NEW YORK DEMOCRAT RIPS ‘FAR LEFT’ FOR TRUMP VICTORY: ‘IVORY-TOWERED NONSENSE’ Trump garnered 312 electoral votes, dwarfing his opponent, Vice President Harris. The Democratic candidate lost all seven battleground states and only collected 226 electoral votes. The Republican leader is currently selecting his Cabinet and determining who will serve in his second administration. Trump is also expected to meet President Biden in the Oval Office on Wednesday. On Saturday, Trump announced on Truth Social that he would not be inviting two members of his former administration to the White House. “I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump Administration, which is currently in formation,” the president-elect said. “I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Dem Party blame game: Accusations fly as to who is responsible for Harris’ massive loss to Trump
The Democratic blame game is at a fever pitch after Vice President Kamala Harris was swiftly defeated by President-elect Donald Trump at the ballot box in an election that had been anticipated to drag out for days as polling indicated the match-up was razor-thin. Trump sailed to victory in the early morning hours last Wednesday, after locking down key battlegrounds such as Pennsylvania and Georgia and clearing 270 electoral votes. He concluded the race with 312 electoral votes to Harris’ 226, and won the popular vote. In the final days of the campaigning cycle, polling indicated that the results for the election would likely be very close, which could have resulted in state recounts and lawsuits before the winner was announced. Following Trump’s clear victory, Democrats across the nation issued statements accepting the results and congratulating the president. Fallout from the devastating loss, however, has reverberated across the party as members point fingers at each other for the Trump win. 5 MISTAKES THAT DOOMED KAMALA HARRIS’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST TRUMP Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders pinned blame for the loss on the Democratic Party for “abandoning” the working class, sparking rebuke from former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. “It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change,” Sanders posted to X last week, accompanied by a press release on the election results. “And they’re right.” NANCY PELOSI FIRES BACK AT BERNIE SANDERS FOR COMMENTS ON DEMS’ SWEEPING ELECTION LOSS: NO ‘RESPECT’ Pelosi responded that the party has not left the working class behind in favor of kowtowing to “big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party,” as Sanders had argued in his press release. “With all due respect, and I have a great deal of respect for him [Sanders], for what he stands for, but I don’t respect him saying that the Democratic Party has abandoned the working class families. That’s where we are,” Pelosi told The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast on Saturday. “Under President Biden, you see the rescue package, money in the pockets of people, the shots in the arm, children in school safely, working people back to work. What did Trump do when he was president? One bill that gave a tax cut to the richest people in America,” she continued. Sanders doubled down on his remarks Sunday, telling NBC’s Kristen Welker that “the working people of this country are extremely angry.” “Nancy is a friend of mine,” Sanders said. “But here is the reality. In the Senate in the last two years, we have not even brought forth legislation to raise the minimum wage to a living wage despite the fact that some 20 million people in this country are working for less than $15 an hour.” SANDERS DOUBLES DOWN ON HIS CRITICISM OF DEMOCRATS, FIRES BACK AT PELOSI’S PUSHBACK “Bottom line, if you’re a working person out there, do you really think that the Democratic Party is going to the max, taking on powerful special interests and fighting for you? I think the overwhelming answer is no,” Sanders said. The Harris campaign and Biden campaign have reportedly pinned blame for the loss on each other, Axios reported last week. “The 107-day Harris campaign was nearly flawless. The Biden campaign that preceded it was the opposite,” one Harris campaign member told the outlet. “We did what we could. I think the odds against us were insurmountable,” another individual involved with the Harris campaign said, referring to President Biden’s exit from the presidential race in July and his low approval ratings. Biden dropped out of the race over the summer following his disastrous debate performance against Trump, where he frequently lost his train of thought and stumbled over his words. The debate opened the floodgates to both conservatives and traditional Democrat allies calling on the president to pass the torch to a younger generation as concerns mounted surrounding his mental acuity and his age. THE ‘SQUAD,’ WARREN AND SANDERS AMONG PROMINENT POLITICAL FIGURES WHO CRUISED TO RE-ELECTION VICTORIES Many of those who worked on the Biden campaign also joined the Harris campaign following the president’s endorsement of his VP to take up the mantle as Democratic presidential candidate. A person who worked on the Biden campaign shot back in comment to Axios that the Harris team was to blame: “How did you spend $1 billion and not win? What the f—?” “The Harris team benched [Biden], and then they lost, so now the people who represent Biden are saying, ‘Maybe you shouldn’t have benched him,’” another person familiar with the dynamics between the teams said. White House spokesman Andrew Bates told the outlet, “Anyone criticizing the vice president’s campaign is at odds with President Biden.” Pelosi appeared to pin blame for the loss on the president, claiming that Biden had dropped out of the race too late in the game and that that hadn’t provided an opportunity for an open primary. “Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race,” she told the New York Times podcast. “The anticipation was that, if the president were to step aside, that there would be an open primary,” Pelosi continued. “. . . Because the president endorsed Kamala Harris immediately, that really made it almost impossible to have a primary at that time. If it had been much earlier, it would have been different.” TRUMP WINS ARIZONA TO SWEEP SWING STATES AND SECURE 312 TOTAL ELECTORAL VOTES Biden dropped out of the presidential race on a Sunday afternoon in July via a social media post. He endorsed Harris minutes later in a follow-up X post, sparking other Democrats to rally around the VP. Pelosi did defend Biden in June, when the Wall Street Journal ran an article doubting Biden’s mental fitness as president. ”Many of us spent time
Trump team reacts to report president-elect told Russia’s Putin not to escalate war with Ukraine
President-elect Trump’s transition team would not confirm or deny that the 2024 election victor told Russian President Vladimir Putin not to escalate the war with Ukraine during a call last week. The Washington Post reported that Putin and Trump spoke on Thursday, marking the first conversation between the two leaders since Trump won his way back into the Oval Office last Tuesday. Trump reportedly took the call from Florida and advised Putin to not escalate the war in Ukraine. The president-elect also reminded Russia’s president about the amount of U.S. military in Europe, a person familiar with the call who spoke on anonymity told the publication. Additionally, the two men talked about peace being the goal in Europe, while Trump also expressed a desire for further talks on “the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon,” several sources told The Post. ELON MUSK JOINS DONALD TRUMP IN ‘VERY GOOD CALL’ WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY When asked by Fox News for comment about the report, Trump’s team released the following statement: “We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders,” Trump communication’s director, Steven Cheung, said in a statement. “President Trump won a historic election decisively and leaders from around the world know America will return to prominence on the world stage. That is why leaders have begun the process of developing stronger relationships with the 45th and 47th President because he represents global peace and stability.” The statement comes just two days after a senior Ukrainian official confirmed to Fox News that billionaire Elon Musk joined a call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday. ELON MUSK REVEALS HIS POLITICAL PAC’S FUTURE AMID TIGHT PRESIDENTIAL RACE Musk’s unexpected appearance during the first official conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy may point to the SpaceX CEO’s influence on the incoming Trump administration. “I had an excellent call with President Trump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory — his tremendous campaign made this result possible,” Zelenskyy posted on X. Details of Musk’s exact role were not disclosed, according to reporting from Axios, though sources reported Musk expressed his intent to continue supporting Ukraine through his Starlink satellite network, a service critical to Ukraine’s wartime communications. UKRAINE, NORTH KOREAN TROOPS CLASH FOR FIRST TIME; ZELENSKYY WARNS OF ESCALATION Throughout his campaign, Trump voiced skepticism about continued U.S. aid to Ukraine and emphasized a fast resolution to its conflict with Russia, which raised concerns across Europe. Trump assured Zelenskyy of support on the 25-minute call, but he did not provide specifics on either policies or military aid. Axios first reported Musk’s presence on the call, and Musk has not yet commented. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The phone call is expected to be the first of many between Trump’s team and Zelenskyy’s advisers as both sides navigate America’s involvement in the ongoing conflict. Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Harris paid Oprah $1 million in failed bid to help campaign: report
Vice President Kamala Harris paid Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions $1 million, just one example of millions the campaign spent on various entertainers during the vice president’s failed bid for president. The Harris campaign paid $1 million to Winfrey’s company on October 15, according to a report in the Washington Examiner, coming after a star-studded town hall that Winfrey hosted for the vice president in September. Winfrey also appeared at Harris’ final rally in Philadelphia on the eve of Election Day, with the talk-show star offering a rare endorsement of a presidential candidate. HARRIS CAMPAIGN REPORTEDLY SPENT 6 FIGURES ON ‘CALL HER DADDY’ PODCAST WITH FEWER THAN 1 MILLION YOUTUBE VIEWS “We’re voting for values and integrity,” Winfrey said at the rally. “We’re voting for healing over hate.” But Winfrey wasn’t the only star the Harris campaign spent big money on, with the Washington Examiner report also revealing that the campaign spent big on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. “A source familiar with the matter told the Washington Examiner that the Harris campaign spent six figures on building a set for Harris’s appearance on the popular Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper,” the Examiner wrote. “The interview came out in October and was reportedly filmed in a hotel room in Washington, D.C.” HARRIS CAMPAIGN AND ALLIES SPENT MORE THAN $1.4B ON POLITICAL ADS IN LOSING RACE AGAINST TRUMP The campaign also spent up to $20 million on swing state concerns on the eve of the election, according to a report in the New York Post, a sum that could have been more if a planned performance by Alanis Morissette had not been scrapped. The campaign had seven swing-state concerts on Monday, the report noted, including performances by Jon Bon Jovi in Detroit, Christina Aguilera in Las Vegas, Katy Perry in Pittsburgh and Lady Gaga in Philadelphia, and a 2 Chainz performance at a rally three days before the election in Atlanta. “Money can’t buy you love or a good candidate,” Republican political strategist Brad Todd told the Examiner, with regard to the massive spending. “Advertising is a pretty important source of information for swing voters,” Todd said. “It no doubt matters, but it’s not enough. It doesn’t matter if you have the wrong message and it’s not delivered in a compelling way. What her campaign was missing was any effort to break with the unpopular administration she has been a part of.” The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Elon Musk endorses Rick Scott for Senate majority leader
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Sunday endorsed lawmaker Rick Scott for Senate majority leader, joining a growing list of MAGA figures who are throwing their support behind the Florida Republican. “Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader!” Musk wrote in a post on X Sunday afternoon, days after Republicans won back control of the Senate on Election Day. Musk’s post came in response to a post from Scott, who was responding to President-elect Trump’s demand that “Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner.” “100% agree,” Scott responded. “I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible.” SCOTT TOUTS ‘DEAL GUY’ BACKGROUND IN BID FOR SENATE MAJORITY LEADER SEN. JOSH HAWLEY ‘DELIGHTED’ TO BACK SEN. JOHN CORNYN FOR SENATE MAJORITY LEADER Musk is the latest Trump-ally calling for Scott to be the Senate GOP leader. Scott’s senate Republican colleagues, including Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Rand Paul of Kentucky have each pledged to vote for Scott. Scott, whose bid for the position is seen as a long shot by some observers, is up against fellow Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, and John Thune of South Dakota for the job McConnell has held since 2007. Scott has expressed hope that Trump will publicly endorse his bid for the top job, though some reports have indicated the president-elect has been hesitant to weigh in on the race. Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee contributed to this report.
Schumer won’t allow Dave McCormick at Senate orientation, citing outstanding PA ballots
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is not allowing Senator-elect Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania to attend Senate orientation in the coming week, pointing to outstanding ballots in the state, even though the race has already been called. Two sources with knowledge confirmed to Fox News Digital that McCormick was not invited to orientation, despite having been projected by the Associated Press to win the Pennsylvania Senate race. When reached by Fox News Digital, a Schumer spokesperson said in a statement, “With over 100,000 ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, the race has not been decided. As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted.” CORNYN TOUTS LIFETIME FUNDRAISING PROWESS FOR GOP IN FINAL CASE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL McCormick’s campaign declined to comment to Fox News Digital. Several Republican senators took to X on Sunday to slam Schumer for not inviting McCormick. “@AP declared @DaveMcCormickPA winner of #PASen 3 days ago. Denying legit election results & blocking @DaveMcCormickPA from participating in Sen. orientation this week is outrageous & a disservice PA & the country. Casey should concede. He has no path to overturn these results,” wrote National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont. Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., who is also running for GOP leader this week, added, “Dave McCormick is the new senator for Pennsylvania. The idea that Schumer would not allow him to participate in Senate orientation is beyond unacceptable. The voters of Pennsylvania have spoken. Looking forward to having Dave’s strong voice in the Senate Republican Conference.” TIM SCOTT LAUNCHES BID TO CHAIR NRSC AS GOP SEEKS TO CAPITALIZE ON NEW MINORITY GAINS “Schumer and Senate Democrats are denying the election results in #PASen. Trying to block @DaveMcCormickPA from attending Senate orientation this week is an outrage. Casey must concede immediately or Senate Democrats face consequences,” said Senate Republican conference Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo. The Pennsylvania Senate race was called by the AP on Nov. 7, two days after Election Day. McCormick currently leads his incumbent opponent by more than 30,000 votes in the state. Casey’s campaign did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital regarding McCormick not being invited to orientation. TOP REPUBLICAN PRIVATELY BACKING THUNE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL IN GOP LEADER RACE ? vote is counted. We estimate there are at least 100,000 ballots remaining to be adjudicated, including provisional, military, overseas, and Election Day votes. We urge patience as election workers continue to do this important work, especially in contests where the margins are very close,” he said in a statement. However, critics have cast doubt on Casey’s ability to make up the difference with the current outstanding votes. RICK SCOTT SEES RED WAVE AS ‘BEST CASE SCENARIO’ FOR SENATE LEADER BID AS HE LOBBIES TRUMP FOR SUPPORT Pennsylvania Republican strategist Mark Harris claimed on Saturday that, “The votes for Casey to win are just not there,” citing Republicans’ record with the type of ballots that are still being counted. Schumer’s office shared with Fox News Digital that Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., has not been invited to orientation either. The Arizona Senate race is still ongoing and has not been called by the AP. A spokesperson for the majority leader also noted that Sen. Al Franken did not attend orientation in 2008 due to the close nature of his election. However, Franken’s election was won by only a few hundred votes, while McCormick is leading by tens of thousands. Notably, even a member of Schumer’s caucus referred to McCormick as the senator-elect on Sunday. “While we are losing a good person and colleague in Senator Bob Casey, I believe the Senate will be gaining another good man in Senator-Elect David McCormick,” wrote outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., in a post to X. Manchin has been known to occasionally go against the Democrat caucus during his tenure. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub
Senate leader contender John Thune responds to new Trump litmus test ahead of election
FIRST ON FOX: Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., responded to President-Elect Donald Trump’s newly announced litmus test for those vying to be the next GOP leader, exclusively telling Fox News Digital that he was open to it and that “all options are on the table.” Trump said on Sunday that whoever the new leader is “must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner.” Recess appointments refer to the president’s ability to fill federal vacancies that occur while the Senate is in recess. This power is outlined in the Recess Appointments Clause of the Constitution. For the president to unilaterally make these appointments, the Congress must be in recess. CORNYN TOUTS LIFETIME FUNDRAISING PROWESS FOR GOP IN FINAL CASE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL “I’ve spent eight months carefully listening to my colleagues about their vision for the next chapter of the Senate Republican Conference, especially as we hit the ground running with President Trump,” Thune told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. “One thing is clear: We must act quickly and decisively to get the president’s cabinet and other nominees in place as soon as possible to start delivering on the mandate we’ve been sent to execute, and all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments. We cannot let Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats block the will of the American people,” he continued. TIM SCOTT LAUNCHES BID TO CHAIR NRSC AS GOP SEEKS TO CAPITALIZE ON NEW MINORITY GAINS Trump’s request for the new GOP Senate leader to agree to recess appointments comes after his struggle with a divided Congress in 2020, which would not adjourn when he asked them so that he could push through key appointments amid the COVID-19 pandemic. TOP REPUBLICAN PRIVATELY BACKING THUNE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL IN GOP LEADER RACE “If the House will not agree to that adjournment, I will exercise my constitutional authority to adjourn both chambers of Congress,” he threatened at the time. “The current practice of leaving town while conducting phony pro-forma sessions is a dereliction of duty that the American people cannot afford during this crisis. It is a scam that they do.” RICK SCOTT SEES RED WAVE AS ‘BEST CASE SCENARIO’ FOR SENATE LEADER BID AS HE LOBBIES TRUMP FOR SUPPORT One of Thune’s opponents in the race, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., quickly agreed with Trump, writing on X, “100% agree. I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible.” He is also competing against Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Cornyn has not yet responded directly to the latest ask from Trump, but he shared on X on Saturday, “The first order of business in the new Senate should be confirming President Trump’s cabinet. If I am the majority leader, I will keep the Senate in session until those confirmations occur.” “No weekends, no breaks. Democrats can cooperate in the best interest of the country, or continue the resistance, which will eventually be ground down. Take your pick,” he said. The election will be conducted by secret ballot on Nov. 13. Trump has not made any endorsement in the race and has not said whether he plans to.
Scott touts ‘deal guy’ background in bid for Senate majority leader
Florida Sen. Rick Scott touted his experience in business when asked why his Republican colleagues should back him for Senate Majority Leader. “I built businesses all my life,” Scott said during an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday. “I built the largest hospital company, I built a variety of manufacturing companies, I ran the state of Florida.” The comments come as Scott finds himself in a three-way race to become the GOP Senate leader, battling fellow Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota for the job held by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., since 2007. Scott, whose bid for the position is seen as a long shot by some observers, has earned the endorsement of Republican Sens. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida. “I will be voting for my Florida colleague @ScottforFlorida to be our next Senate GOP leader,” Rubio said on X on Sunday. SEN. JOSH HAWLEY ‘DELIGHTED’ TO BACK SEN. JOHN CORNYN FOR SENATE MAJORITY LEADER But the Florida Republican is also seen by some as the friendliest candidate to President-elect Trump, something Hagerty noted when making his endorsement of Scott. “Any leader of this new majority must be able to work hand-in-hand with President Trump to advance his America First agenda,” Hagerty posted to X on Sunday. “That’s why I want to see a Senate Majority Leader who can join me in embracing the Trump agenda, which will unify Senate Republicans. On Wednesday, I will be voting for Rick Scott.” Scott himself hinted at the alignment with Trump during his appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures,” arguing that the Republican Senate should reflect the will of the voters. “Washington ought to represent the Republican voters around the country,” Scott said. “We have a mandate for change … who is going to represent all the Republican voters? I ran two years ago because I knew we needed to make a change in the Senate.” he continued, referring to his failed 2022 attempt to oust McConnell for the Senate GOP’s top job “I’ve talked to my colleagues, I think everybody realizes we need to make a change. So the question is going to be: Who is going to make sure we get those things done?” CORNYN TOUTS LIFETIME FUNDRAISING PROWESS FOR GOP IN FINAL CASE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL Scott has expressed hope that Trump will publicly endorse his bid for the top job, though some reports have indicated the president-elect has been hesitant to weigh in on the race. Thune, meanwhile, has encouraged Trump to stay out of the race. “Obviously, if he wants to, he could exert a considerable amount of influence on that, but honestly, I think my preference would be, and I think it’s probably in his best interest, to stay out of that,” Thune, who has at times had a rocky relationship with Trump, said during an appearance on CNBC last week. “These Senate secret ballot elections are probably best left to senators, and he’s got to work with all of us when it’s all said and done,” Thune, who currently serves as Senate minority whip, added, “but whatever he decides to do, that’s going to be his prerogative, as we know.” RICK SCOTT SEES RED WAVE AS ‘BEST CASE SCENARIO’ FOR SENATE LEADER BID AS HE LOBBIES TRUMP FOR SUPPORT Cornyn, who also previously served as the Senate’s GOP Whip, has touted he held the role when Trump’s tax cuts were passed through the Senate, arguing he would once again be able to work with the president-elect to help pass his agenda. Republicans return to Washington this week, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is expected to host a forum with the candidates on Tuesday. The election, which is done by secret ballot, will take place on Wednesday with incoming GOP Sens.-elect Bernie Moreno of Ohio, Tim Sheehy of Montana and Jim Justice of West Virginia also being able to participate in the vote. Only a simple majority is required for a winner to be chosen. If no candidate achieves a simple majority in the first round of ballots, the candidate with the least number of votes will be eliminated and there will be another round of voting between the top two candidates. Scott argued that a vote for him on Wednesday would be a vote for a candidate who could “bring people together.” “What it’s going to take is somebody is going to take the time to sit down and bring people together. We’ve got to get, for a lot of things, 60 votes in the Senate, so we’ve got to have somebody that’s going to sit down with Democrats and say, ‘How do we balance a budget? How do we do these things?’” Scott said. “That’s all I’ve done. I’m a deal guy. That’s what I did all my life.”