Cornyn Jumps into Whip Race
Politico reports:
Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is running for the No. 2 position in the GOP Conference, an aide told Politico Friday.
“Let there be no mistake about it: Sen. Cornyn is running for whip,” a senior aide to Cornyn said.
Cornyn’s decision comes a day after the current whip, Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, decided not to seek reelection next year, opening his powerful position in the next Congress.
Cornyn will face off against Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, the conference chairman and the No. 3 Republican, who plans to run for the whip job, which will be decided by GOP senators after the November 2012 elections. It’s possible that Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) also may run for whip if he decides against running for the Republican presidential nomination.
Whomever Republicans pick could have far-reaching political consequences, given that the new leader will be able to shape and drive the national GOP agenda for years to come. The next whip will be in line to become Republican leader whenever Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) relinquishes that post. McConnell won’t endorse in the race, according to sources.
Determining who precisely has an inside track is difficult to gauge because senators vote by secret ballot — and often vote based on their personal relationships more than anything else. Both Alexander and Cornyn are well-liked by their colleagues, and both are seen as pragmatic politicians.
Cornyn began making calls to his colleagues last night, and Alexander announced his run for whip right after Kyl’s retirement announcement Thursday morning in Arizona.
Alexander may benefit by the sheer fact that he is the No. 3 GOP leader, next in line to succeed Kyl, and the fact that senators have widely praised his job as Senate Republican Conference chairman.
But Cornyn is widely credited by his colleagues with reviving the NRSC last cycle after the Republicans lost badly in the 2006 and 2008 election cycle. Under his watch, Republicans gained seven seats since the 2008 elections, and are well-positioned to retake the majority in 2012.
Click here to read more.
