‘Not serious’: Trump reportedly dismissed Rick Scott’s bid for Senate leadership role

Florida Sen. Rick Scott’s hopes of becoming the Senate’s next Republican leader were privately pushed aside by former President Donald Trump, who according to new reporting, told allies his bid was “not serious.”

Scott is seen as a likely replacement for outgoing Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell’s position, along with Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and John Cornyn (R-TX), who are also jockeying for the role.

A Trump endorsement could have major implications for the Nov. 13 vote, and while Axios reported that Trump privately dismissed Scott’s prospects, a senior Trump campaign official pushed back on the account.

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The president-elect, the campaign source told the outlet, “hasn’t weighed in on the leadership race and anyone who says differently is wrong.”

But while Trump may have signaled his dissatisfaction with Scott as McConnell’s successor, others close to Trump have actively encouraged him to back the Florida senator, including right-wing influencer Laura Loomer and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), according to Axios.

The outlet added that Thune and Cornyn would likely emerge as the final two candidates for the job voted on by the party’s senators in a secret ballot, but noted that sources “in and around the Capitol view Thune as the more likely winner, though Cornyn has had momentum, too.”

In a final sales pitch to voters on Monday, Cornyn told Fox News that while Trump was president, “it was a very successful four years and as I’ve told President Trump I’m interested in getting the band back together again.”