October 31, 2024 11:11 AM ET

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is catching heat on his way out of power for not sufficiently backing battleground-state Republicans with his financial war chest.

The Republican senators vying to replace him are battling to fill the vacuum, dumping big sums of money into key Senate races the GOP will need to win back the majority next week.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Florida Sen. Rick Scott have all announced they’re in the race to replace McConnell. Montana Sen. Steve Daines, Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, was also floated as a possible candidate until he removed his name from the hat Wednesday.

“I’m appreciative of everybody who’s asked me to consider it, but I’m not going to run,” Daines said in an interview. “I’ve told others I’m not running for majority leader, and so it’s firm.”

McConnell has faced particular criticism for not giving a financial cold shoulder to Scott and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who are both facing well-funded Democratic challengers in red states.

In Q3, Cruz’s opponent, Rep. Collin Allred, raised $30.3 million and Cruz raised $21 million. On top of that, last week, a Schumer-backed Democrat PAC made a $5 million ad buy for Allred. Despite this, Cruz remains slightly up in the polls. (RELATED: ‘Weaponized His Leadership’: Insurgent Senate GOP Forms Post-McConnell Plan)

As for Scott, in Q3 he raised $4.9 million. His opponent Debbie Mucarsel-Powell raised $15.1 million.

In those two tight and important races, Cornyn and Thune have used their campaign funds to help out Cruz and Scott.

According to a source familiar with Cornyn’s political operation, he has raised nearly $850,000 for Scott and more than $715,000 for Cruz’s races cumulatively. Cornyn announced last month that he has raised more than $400M for his colleagues, candidates, the NRSC, and his reelection efforts since 2002.

The source also noted that Cornyn was a special guest on a zoom for Cruz’s super PAC last week.

A source familiar with Thune’s campaign said Thune has raised six figures for Cruz and Scott through his Joint Fundraising Committees, directly from donors to their campaigns, to the NRSC for both candidates, and at events in D.C. and around the country.

“Outside entities affiliated with Thune have transferred $1.75 million to Cruz-affiliated entities and $500K to Scott-affiliated entities,” the source familiar told the Caller.

As of September, Thune had raised more than $28 million for Senate candidates and the NRSC and earlier that month Thune told his fellow GOP Senators that he will transfer $4 million from his campaign account to the NRSC. Thune also raised over $1.75 million for the Trump campaign and Republican candidates across the U.S. ahead of two September fundraisers.

Fundraising ability and political prowess come election time are viewed as key skills for the next Senate leader to have, adding extra emphasis to the efforts of Thune, Cornyn and Scott to help the party retake the majority. Scott previously served as Chair of the NRSC himself, a key fundraising position.

Another key factor in the race will be the highly-coveted endorsement of former President Donald Trump, who has yet to weigh in. Tension between Trump and McConnell has been a wedge in the Senate GOP, but the three current contenders to be the next leader have publicly backed Trump against Kamala Harris.

McConnell is the longest-serving party leader of all time in the Senate, and has been serving in the Senate since 1984. According to RealClearPolitics, McConnell is rated as Americans’ most disliked political leader, with favorability ratings lower than President Joe Biden’s. However, his grip on power within the GOP has remained ironclad for years.

Senate Republicans tell the Caller that whoever becomes the next leader must have a good relationship with Trump, unlike McConnell, in order for them to succeed. (RELATED: Senate Republicans Back Big Change To Prevent Repeat Of McConnell Era)

“If President Trump wins re-election, it will be crucial for him to have a good working relationship with members of Congress — especially leadership. It is absurd to argue that his opinion of who those leaders should be is irrelevant. That argument can only be made by people who fear the type of change agent Trump might endorse,” Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson told the Daily Caller.

Another U.S. Senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Caller that Senate Republicans’ main worry should be having someone like McConnell take his place. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: ‘This Is Our Opportunity’ — Top GOP Senators Game McConnell’s Ouster After Botched Border Deal)

“Mitch walks out while refusing to help Ted Cruz and Rick Scott in tight races that could determine who gets a Senate majority. He badmouths and undermines Trump right before the election. If either of the Johns want the top job, my concern is who will be a team player, and who will be McConnell part 2 and continue to sabotage the party,” the Republican senator said.

Despite saying they back Trump, both Thune and Cornyn have voting records that resemble McConnell’s. They have voted for most continuing resolutions and omnibus bills with McConnell, but against the Inflation Reduction Act and the Small Business COVID relief act of 2022 during the last Congress.

The pair also voted for the supplemental legislation that contained Ukraine funding during this Congress, and haven’t been shy about voting for massive appropriations bills. A majority of the bills they voted against were almost completely along party lines. The three also voted in favor of the 2024 NDAA, which extended FISA powers until April. All three have also been consistent supporters of providing additional aid to Ukraine. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Civil War Deepens As Senators Claim McConnell Threw Party’s Voters ‘Under The Bus’ On Ukraine, Border)

The GOP Senate leadership election will take place on Nov. 13.