Rick Scott is the dark horse candidate against the more tenured John Thune and John Cornyn.

Republicans comprising the upcoming Senate majority are set to meet this week to elect the Senate Majority Leader for next Congress. The race is between Senators John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas, and Rick Scott of Florida. Each bring a different philosophy and background to the race. Some characterize the race as “establishment vs MAGA” while other reporting has framed it as a moment of “change” regardless after Sen. Mitch McConnell has led the GOP caucus for years.

John Thune, South Dakota

Thune, the current Senate minority whip, is considered the establishment frontrunner. A native of South Dakota, Thune arrived in Washington, D.C. in 1997 after winning the election to be South Dakota’s member in the House of Representatives. He served only three terms, a pledge he made in the 1996 campaign. After losing an election for the Senate in 2002, he won in 2004 and has been in the Senate since then.

Thune has recently taken fire from allies of President-elect Donald Trump, who dug up Thune’s past criticism of Trump both during the 2016 election and in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 violence at the Capitol.

Some senators in Thune’s camp who also have close ties to MAGA-world have asked Trump to not endorse any candidate, and reporting suggests Trump’s silence is Thune’s best chance of winning.

John Cornyn, Texas

The other “John” in the race, Cornyn served as the Texas Attorney General before being elected to the Senate in 2002, where he has served since then. Cornyn appears to be trying to thread the needle between establishment and MAGA, arguing that he is the candidate who can make a dysfunctional Senate in desperate need of institutional reform work again. His focus is on Senate procedure, arguing he will “improve floor management and focus on efficiency” while relinquishing influence to write legislation to committee chairs.

Outside the Senate, Cornyn’s candidacy is being opposed by the National Association of Gun Rights, arguing a bill Cornyn sponsored in 2018 was the basis for thousands of veterans’ “gun rights stripped without due process” and Biden’s use of the legislation to “push through gun restrictions.”

Cornyn is understood to be McConnell’s preferred candidate.

Rick Scott, Florida

Scott, previously the Governor of Florida, has served in the Senate since the 2018 election. Prior to serving as Governor, Scott was a businessman and leader in the healthcare and venture capital industries.

The Florida senator is considered the preferred candidate in Trump-aligned circles. Scott has said following through on the Trump agenda should be a Republican Senate’s top priority. This commitment resulted in Sens. Mike Lee and Marco Rubio (who is expected to be nominated by Trump to be Secretary of State) endorsing Scott for Majority Leader. After a forum on the selection Tuesday night, Scott picked up an additional endorsement: Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. During a presentation to the group of GOP senators, Scott argued his goal is to “build consensus” and ensure every member of the Senate majority has a voice with monthly meetings with individual senators and a commitment to “support individual state priorities.”

The incoming Republican majority will be voting to select their leader on Wednesday, November 13.