John Cornyn Of Texas

Republican Senators Who Are Likely To Oppose Some Trump Cabinet Nominees

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Signs that a substantial number of Republican Senators are seen as likely to oppose some Donald Trump Cabinet nominees, particularly Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense; Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Among those Senators who have issues with Trump appointees are the following:

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Todd Young of Indiana
Jonie Ernst of Iowa
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
James Lankford of Oklahoma
Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma
John Cornyn of Texas
John Curtis of Utah (Senator Elect)
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia

If four or more of this group vote against any of the above appointees or any others, such individual would not be able to be part of the Cabinet or other advisers.

However, the concept of a “recess” appointment could become a controversial action taken by Donald Trump, which would likely become a legal issue, and be seen as a grab for power.

Mitch McConnell Successor As Senate Minority Leader: Battle Of The “Three Johns”!

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As Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican Minority Leader, returns next week after an extended period of absence due to a concussion and rib fracture after a fall, there is speculation that he might retire from the Senate in the short term.

So the battle for who would replace him has begun, with the “three Johns” competing for leadership of the Republican Party in the Senate moving forward.

These “three Johns” are

John Thune of South Dakota
John Barrasso of Wyoming
John Cornyn of Texas

John Thune has been in the Senate since 2005 and is 62, and is Republican Whip, second ranking position.

John Barrasso has been in the Senate since 2007 and is 71, and is Republican Conference Chairman, third ranking position.

John Cornyn has been in the Senate since 2002 and is also 71, and served in the past as Republican Whip.

If one went by population, which is not a factor, Texas and Cornyn would win with 30.3 million population, as South Dakota and Wyoming are among the five smallest states in population, with South Dakota 5th smallest with 900,000 population, and Wyoming the smallest of all states with 580,000 population.

An educated guess on the part of this blogger is that John Thune may have the upper hand, and the issue of age is not to be ignored, as he is a decade younger than the other two “Johns”, and is more “photogenic” and “charismatic” than they are.

Thune next faces voters in 2028; Cornyn in 2026; and Barrasso in 2024, so longevity is added to age as a factor.

But one never knows what will happen, and when it would happen, so we shall see!

Ron DeSantis Comes Out As Neville Chamberlain, Divides Republicans On Foreign Policy Toward Vladimir Putin

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who clearly will be announcing for President in the near future, has come out clearly against aid to Ukraine, seeing the Russia-Ukraine War as not an issue of national security for the United States.

In that regard, he is acting like Donald Trump!

In so doing, DeSantis and Trump are coming out as Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister who made a deal with Adolf Hitler to give up half of Czechoslovakia in 1938 (the Munich Conference), thinking it would satisfy Hitler’s territorial demands, which was instead appeasement of a dictator.

The issue of Ukraine has divided the Republican members of the US Senate, including:

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Mitt Romney of Utah
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
John Cornyn of Texas
John Thune of South Dakota
Marco Rubio of Florida
Mike Rounds of South Dakota
Kevin Cramer of North Dakota
Roger Wicker of Mississippi
John Kennedy of Louisiana

And there are others in the Senate who have not spoken publicly who would take the same stand, being critical of both DeSantis and Trump on Ukraine.

There are also a few House Republicans, the so called “moderates”, who would join the Senate Republicans who are in opposition.

So a major battle for the soul of the party is in process!

The Three “Johns” Competing To Succeed Mitch McConnell As Senate Republican Leader In The Future

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Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will soon set the record as the longest serving Senate Republican leader, as Minority Leader and Majority Leader.

He is in his 16th year of party leadership, since the beginning of 2007, and if he remains the leader into 2023, he will surpass Democrat Mike Mansfield, who served from 1961-1977 as party leader.

Even if McConnell continues as party leader into next year, there is speculation about who would be his successor, with three “Johns” seen as in competition.

They are Senator John Thune of South Dakota, who serves as Minority Whip, and was elected in 2004, and is facing reelection this fall, at age 61. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1997-2003.

The second contender is Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who served as Minority Whip in past Congresses, and was first elected in 2002, and is age 70. He was on the Texas Supreme Court and Attorney General of Texas before coming to the Senate.

The third contender is Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, who is a orthopedic physician, and has served in the Senate since 2007, and is also age 70. He also has served as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, the third ranking position in leadership.