Senator John Barrasso Will Run For Senate Republican Whip

He's not interested in the job of GOP leader in the Senate after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) steps down.

Senator McConnell will remain in the Senate until the end of his term when he plans to retire.

Wyoming's Republican Senator John Barrasso will run for Senate Republican whip.

That's the next step up from his current position as conference chair.

Traditionally serving as assistant leaders, whips are mainly responsible for counting heads and rounding up party members for votes and quorum calls, and they occasionally stand in for the majority or minority leaders in their absence.

In the Senate the job of the whips is to serve as the top lieutenant to the Leader, serving an important messaging role and liaison between the Leader and rank-and-file members.

Senator Barrasso released a statement about his decision which you can read below.

“I have had time to reflect on how I might best serve the Republican Conference and our country,” Barrasso said in a statement Tuesday.

“After a lot of thought, I will ask my colleagues for their support and help to work for them as the Assistant Republican Leader.”

The current Republican whip is Senator John Thune of South Dakota.

Thune has announced a run for GOP Leader.

Senator John Cornyn of Texas is the third in the running for Leader.

Barrasso is considered the most conservative of the trio.

Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansaw announced that he will seek Barrasso’s seat as conference chair. The job of the Chair is to assist senators and their staffs but is primarily a communications position.