Who Will Idaho’s U.S. Senators Support for Majority Leader?

Republicans are taking back the U.S. Senate, and Idahoans are asking who Senator Jim Risch (R – ID) and Senator Mike Crapo (R – ID) will support.

Idaho Dispatch has contacted both Idaho senators to ask if they have decided on who to support. We have not received a response from either senator as of this writing, but we will update this article if we receive one.

Current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is stepping down after leading the Republicans in the Senate for 17 years. McConnell’s departure paves the way for a new leader who can hopefully be . The question is, who will replace him?

Right now, there are three names main names and one dark horse capturing headlines and rumors across the country. Here are the four individuals and their Heritage Action for America lifetime ratings:

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) – 64% (66% in 2024) – Been in Congress since 2002.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) – 95% (92% in 2024) – Been in Congress since 2018.
Senator John Thune (R-SD) – 62% (37% in 2024) – Been in Congress since 1997.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance (R-OH) – 93% (93% in 2024) – Been in Congress since 2023.

For conservatives, Thune is the worst option the Republicans could choose for his overall time as a U.S. Senator and Representative and is considered to be the lead-choice for moderate Republicans if you believe the whip counts and rumors online.

Thune is already targeting Trump and telling him to stay out of the Senate leadership race, which is precisely why Trump should put his thumb on the scale. Trump is most likely to support Scott in the race who has pledge support for Trump’s agenda, which is why Thune is likely trying to keep Trump out of the battle.

If Trump wants real change, he needs all the help he can get. Republicans have a propensity to do nothing of value when they have power, and right now, they are on track to control all of Congress and, of course, the White House.

Polymarket is placing odds on Scott to replace McConnell with a 62% chance, Thune with a 34% chance, and Cornyn with a 5% chance as of this writing.

Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk is also floating around another option that he says came from Senator Mike Lee (R-UT): Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.

This option seems unlikely, and Polymarket has it at less than 1%, but it’s an interesting concept. Vance would not likely want to sit over all the procedural stuff in the Senate, and if Scott could take the position, Vance would probably prefer that so he could focus on other issues, knowing Scott would likely support Trump’s agenda.

Scott, while maintaining a high rating with Heritage Action for America, comes with a significant concern for conservatives, and especially those who are gun owners.

While Governor of Florida, Scott signed a massive gun control bill into law following the Sandy Hook shooting. The bill did the following:

• Raised the minimum age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21.
• Banned bump stocks.
• Imposed a three-day waiting period to purchase a gun.

Scott still supports a national Red Flag law and, as the Senate Majority Leader, would decide if a bill like that would get voted on. Trump previously mentioned support for Red Flag laws, which is something gun owners have always had issues with since Trump’s first term. Hopefully, he will get better 2nd Amendment advisors for his second term and understand now that Red Flag laws are the most anti-2nd Amendment laws being passed right now.

Cornyn was also one of the few Republican Senators to support the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which was the biggest gun control bill in decades. That bill supported funding for Red Flag laws, expanded the flawed background check system, and so much more.

Thune also supported gun control as governor.

Who do you support for Senate Majority Leader? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Tags: 2nd Amendment, Donald Trump, Guns, John Cornyn, John Thune, Mitch McConnel, Rick Scott, Senate Majority Leader

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