2022 Senate Republican Conference leadership election

On November 16, 2022, Republican members of the United States Senate held an election to determine the leader of the Senate Republican Conference. Incumbent leader Mitch McConnell defeated a challenge by Florida senator Rick Scott in a vote by secret ballot. This was the first contested conference leadership election since 1996, marking a break from the tradition of unanimously confirming incumbent leaders seeking re-election. Voting was limited to those expected to serve as Republican senators in the 118th Congress.^[1][2]

2022 Senate Republican Conference leadership election

← 2020 November 16, 2022 2024 →

Candidate Mitch McConnell Rick Scott Home state Kentucky Florida Members' vote 37 10 Percentage 78.7% 21.3%

Leader before election Mitch McConnell Elected Leader Mitch McConnell

Overview

Republicans failed to produce the anticipated red wave during the 2022 United States elections, leading some more conservative members to blame the outcome on current leadership, including incumbent Senate Republican Conference leader Mitch McConnell. The election also marked the first time since 1996 that a contested Senate Republican leadership challenge proceeded to a vote.^[3]

Candidates

The following candidates declared their intent to run.

Candidate	State	Other Senate roles	Ref.
Mitch McConnell	Kentucky (Served since 1985)	Leader of the Senate Republican Conference (Since 2007) Republican Senate Whip (2003–2007) Chair of the Senate Rules Committee (1999–2001)	[4]
Rick Scott	Florida (Served since 2019)	Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (Since 2021)	[4]

Endorsements

Rick Scott

Senators

• Josh Hawley, Senator from Missouri (2019–present)^[5]

Results

Candidate		Votes	Percent
	Mitch McConnell	37	79%
	Rick Scott	10	21%
Write-in		1	N/A
Abstentions		1
Total:		47	100%
Source:[6]

See also

• January 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election#Republican nomination