Rick Scott joins three-way Senate leadership race to replace McConnell

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Wednesday announced he will join the race to replace retiring Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), throwing a wild card in the race to head a potential new Senate GOP majority in 2025.

Scott’s decision to jump into the race gives his Senate Republican colleagues a more conservative alternative to Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), who announced their ambitions to succeed McConnell earlier this year.

While Thune and Cornyn are highly respected conservative senators...