Barrasso locks down support to be next Senate GOP whip – Washington Examiner

Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) has locked down the votes needed to become the next GOP whip in the Senate, he told the Washington Examiner on Thursday.

Barrasso, one of the three “Johns” thought to be possible successors to Mitch McConnell (R-KY), had been meeting with colleagues in the days after the minority leader announced his retirement from leadership last week. He decided to pursue the No. 2 spot instead.

Barrasso was considered the clear favorite as soon as he announced — he currently serves in the No. 3 post as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference — and is running unopposed.

But he moved quickly to put to rest any doubt that he would advance up the leadership ranks. Little more than a day after circulating a letter to colleagues asking for their support, he told the press a majority of the Republican conference had committed to backing him.

“Overwhelmingly, I’ve gotten the support of every member that I’ve talked to,” he said.

Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) talks after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

He credited the backing to his track record in leadership. “They’ve seen the job that I’ve done as chairman of the policy committee, they’ve seen the job that I’ve done now for the last six years as chairman in the conference, in terms of making sure the information they got was credible, reliable, accurate, timely — things that they could use to be successful at home and successful in D.C.,” he said.

However, other positions in leadership could be far more contentious. Sen. John Thune (R-SD), the current GOP whip, is running for leader, as is Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), a senior adviser to McConnell and former whip. Both are term-limited out of the No. 2 post.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Barrasso’s candidacy also opens up a race to replace him as conference chairman. So far, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) has announced he will run, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who occupies the No. 4 slot in leadership, is considering it.

Ernst told the Washington Examiner she will make a decision in the next week or two. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), who holds the No. 5 leadership spot, is another possible contender.