Ted Cruz gets behind Rick Scott for leader, in blow to fellow Texan John Cornyn

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, made headlines on Wednesday morning when he announced his endorsement of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., just ahead of the 9:30 a.m. leadership elections. In a statement, Cruz expressed his support for Scott, stating, “This morning, I’ll be voting for Rick Scott for GOP Leader, as I did two years ago. In 2022, I helped lead the charge for Rick against McConnell & I’m proud to stand with him again. For 12 yrs, I’ve been unequivocal that we need to change GOP Leadership—and now we finally will.”

This last-minute endorsement dealt a blow to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who is also vying for the leadership position. Cornyn, who hails from Cruz’s home state, did not provide a comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.

The race for GOP leader also includes Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., who is competing alongside Cornyn and Scott. Thune has received endorsements from his home state counterparts, including Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla. On the other hand, Scott has garnered public support from a number of senators, including Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Rand Paul, R-Ky.

With three candidates vying for a 27-vote majority in the 53-member conference, the secret ballot election could potentially advance to a second ballot if no candidate secures a majority on the first ballot. In such a scenario, it is likely that some candidates may shift their support to a different contender.

The endorsement from Cruz adds an interesting twist to the GOP leadership race and underscores the competitive nature of the contest. As senators gather behind closed doors to elect McConnell’s successor, all eyes are on the outcome of the leadership elections and the impact it will have on the future direction of the Republican Party.

As the political landscape continues to evolve, the decisions made in these leadership elections will shape the party’s trajectory in the coming years. It remains to be seen how Cruz’s endorsement of Scott will influence the outcome of the race and the dynamics within the GOP leadership.