Cornyn shares his vision for Senate GOP hopeful to become next leader

The Texas Republican said in a three-page letter obtained by the newspaper that Washington Examiner that it will prioritize tax, regulation and government spending.

“Planning is difficult because the future is unpredictable,” he wrote. “Still, with elections rapidly approaching, it is prudent to think broadly and boldly about our goals.”

Cornyn, who was McConnell’s No. 2 in leadership before he was temporarily removed from office five years ago, has vowed to protect the filibuster. Some Democrats are calling for changing the Senate’s filibuster rules if they take control of the chamber in November’s election. The rules currently require a 60-vote threshold for most legislation.

“We must reject any attempt to destroy the legislative filibuster in the Senate. Liberal activists may like the idea of ​​destroying the filibuster today, but they will rue the day when the tables are turned,” Cornyn wrote.

Cornyn, a former Republican, is one of three candidates vying to replace McConnell, who announced he is stepping down as Senate GOP leader at the end of the year. Sen. John Thune (R-SD), a current Republican, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), a former member of the Senate campaign last cycle, are also running for the position.

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Many senators have been tight-lipped about which candidate they will support, with much of the discussion taking place behind closed doors. Congress returned from its summer break on Monday and is scheduled to meet for just three weeks before it adjourns again until after the general election, providing a shortened campaign period.

“There are a lot of one-on-one meetings and conversations, and a lot of senators on the list, like Susan Collins and Rand Paul, are mentioned by name, which indicates that these meetings are happening,” said a former GOP aide who spoke candidly about the behind-the-scenes activities.

In the letter, Cornyn also said he would like to implement former President Donald Trump’s border and immigration policies and use the 2017 tax law to “protect hard-working families and ensure that America remains the best place in the world to do business.”

He also supports former President Ronald Reagan’s policy of peace through strength, which contrasts with former President Trump’s foreign policy.

“We know that deterring wars is cheaper than fighting them,” he said, mentioning a proposal by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) that would increase defense spending to about 5% of gross domestic product.

Cornyn’s Victory Committee just closed out its biggest quarter ever, raising $3.5 million in Q2. In all, Cornyn has raised nearly $23 million this cycle through the end of the quarter, according to a source familiar with Cornyn’s political activities. The Texas senator has been the biggest Senate GOP fundraiser outside of leader McConnell since 2009.

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Cornyn has tried to appeal to members of the conference who were frustrated with McConnell’s leadership, even calling for a leadership change before the Kentucky senator announced his plans to step down earlier this year.

“One of the complaints about McConnell is that he keeps his cards really close to his vest and people don’t always know what the strategy is,” said a former senator’s aide. “Cornyn talked about opening up the process more, listening and making sure people are heard.”