Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton has declared his candidacy for the position of Senate Republican Conference chair, amidst a reshuffling of GOP Senate leadership following Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's upcoming resignation in November, as per The Hill.
The Senate Republican Conference chair is highlighted as the third-highest leadership role within the Republican Party in the upper legislative chamber, as noted by the outlet.
Current chair of the Senate Republican Conference, Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, has expressed his intention to run for the position of Senate GOP Whip, according to reports.
Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, who presently holds the fourth-highest position as Senate Republican Policy Committee, is conventionally seen as the likely successor to the role sought by Cotton.
Notably, Cotton does not currently occupy any elected position within the Senate party leadership.
In a statement on February 28, 82-year-old McConnell shared, "One of lifes most underappreciated talents is to know when its time to move on to lifes next chapter. So I stand before you today to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate."
McConnell's decision seems to have been influenced by the backlash he faced following the failure of a border bill he had a hand in negotiating.
"I think this is our opportunity to take him out, and were sort of working to figure out if thats possible," a Republican senator revealed to The Daily Caller on February 7, amidst the aftermath of the unsuccessful proposal. "I think that theres a bit of a chicken and egg problem where I think you probably have the votes, but you need somebody to step forward and that persons that unwilling to step forward unless you have the votes."
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