Hawley will support Cornyn as Senate GOP leader

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a rising conservative star, announced this week that he will endorse Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in the Republican leadership race in the Senate, giving Cornyn his first public endorsement in the GOP Senate conference. .

“I support John Cornyn for majority leader. Over the past two years, no one has done more to win back the majority than him,” Hawley said in a statement.

“He has tirelessly raised millions of dollars for competitive Senate races, including mine,” he added.

Cornyn announced Friday that he raised nearly $33 million to support Republican senators and candidates during the 2024 election cycle, bringing his career fundraising total for Senate Republicans to nearly $415 million.

Hawley noted that Cornyn has expressed support for one of his top legislative priorities, expanding and expanding the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

“He has expressed support for the RECA compromise that would fairly compensate hundreds of thousands of Americans poisoned by their government, including so many in Missouri,” Hawley said.

The Missouri senator also argued that Cornyn would “work closely and effectively with President Trump to deliver on the promise of our new majority.”

“I’m happy to give him my support,” he said.

Only a few other Republican senators have expressed public support in the race between Cornyn, Republican Senate Whip John Thune (S.D.) and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to become the next Senate majority leader.

Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) are supporting Thune, while Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is backing Scott.

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