Barrasso To Run For Whip, Not Leader

Wyoming’s senior Republican is running for the second-highest Senate position in his party.

Sen. John Barrasso announced Tuesday morning he’s running to become Republican whip in the U.S. Senate. If he wins, he’d be No. 2 to the new Republican Leader set to replace current leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, who announced last week he’ll step down in November.

McConnell’s Senate term does not end until January 2027, however.

“I have had time to reflect on how I might best serve the Republican Conference and our country,” says a Tuesday announcement by Barrasso. “After a lot of thought, I will ask my colleagues for their support and help to work for them as Assistant Republican Leader.”

Barrasso currently chairs the Senate Republican Conference, ranking him third-highest in the party.

Former whip Sen. John Cornyn of Texas announced his run for leader Thursday.

Current whip Sen. John Thune of South Dakota announced his own GOP leader run Monday.

Barrasso was considered a front-runner for the top position immediately after McConnell said he’d leave the post after 17 years, the longest run in Senate history.

But Barrasso remained tentative, and ultimately opted not to seek the position though his junior Sen. Cynthia Lummis and others declared him worthy of it.

‘Valuable Reflection’

In a letter to his fellow Republicans, Barrasso said his wife Bobbi’s January death has brought him both sadness and perspective.

“This last year has been a difficult one for me and my family,” he wrote. “Losing your best friend and partner in life brings with it a lot of sadness and also valuable reflection about what has been and God’s plan for the future.”

He said Bobbi had wanted to see the pair’s friends in the Senate one more time.

“Those friendships were never so powerful as they were during her sickness and passing,” the letter says. “I want to thank you again for your kindnesses, prayers and for the confidence you showed in me personally as I returned to Washington.”

He reflected on these things, then decided to run as whip, he wrote, adding that he hoped his record as conference chair and as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee was evident.

“In both positions, I sought to provide every member with credible, reliable, accurate and timely information,” Barrasso continued, adding that he worked to equip every senator for success in Washington, D.C., and at home.

Break Away

It’s time for a change, Barrasso said.

“One thing that is clear to me is that the Republicans in the Senate need to break from where we are now,” he wrote. “We need to stand up and fight aggressively for Republican priorities. We cannot afford missed opportunities.”

The conference should agree on issues first, then Republicans should pursue results to benefit the country, he said.

If elected as whip, Barrasso said he’ll prioritize “greater openness about our process and transparency about your choices.”

Conference consensus should outstrip “deal-making,” he said, also vowing to realign conference priorities with those of the voters.

Lastly, Barrasso said he’ll work to help Republicans re-take the Senate in November.

“With your support I will work for the kind of U.S. Senate you will be proud to have served in and our voters will remember,” Barrasso wrote.

Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.