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Donald Trump’s allies have backed Florida senator Rick Scott’s bid to be the party’s new leader in the upper chamber, seeking a loyalist to help push the president-elect’s agenda through Congress.
The pro-Trump former Florida governor is running against senators John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota, both allies of outgoing leader Mitch McConnell. Whoever wins the leadership contest will become Senate majority leader when the next Congress begins in January.
The contest is an early test of Trump and his Maga movement’s influence on Congress as he returns to power. Trump suggested on social media on Sunday that he should be able to bypass lawmakers to speed up appointments, though the practice has not been used since Barack Obama was in office following a 2014 Supreme Court decision.
Senate Republicans are due to vote for their next leader in a secret ballot on Wednesday. The party has already
Allowing recess appointments would essentially bypass Congress and significantly expand the president’s power. Neither Trump nor Biden have been able to make recess appointments during their presidencies because of how the chambers arrange their schedules.
Scott on Sunday came out in support of the practice on X, saying he agreed with Trump and would do “whatever it takes” to get his nominations through quickly as possible.
Cornyn and Thune also suggested they could be open to the tactic.
Thune said on Sunday he would consider using recess appointments to quickly get Trump’s nominees in place.
“All options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments,” he said on X.
Cornyn vowed to keep the Senate in session on holidays and weekends if Senate Democrats threatened to block Republican picks and added: “The Constitution expressly confers the power on the President to make recess appointments.”