Elon Musk, the tech mogul, has once again stirred up a political storm in his unique way. This time, he is letting his 200 million followers on his social platform X decide the next Republican Senate majority leader.
As the Republican Party regains the 53 Senate seats in the 2024 election, current majority leader Chuck Schumer's gavel will be handed over on January 3, 2025. And this new leader of American politics has become a focal point for the public. Musk initiated a poll on platform X on Sunday, asking users who should succeed the retiring Mitch McConnell.
The results were surprising.
Florida Senator Rick Scott leads with an overwhelming 66% support rate, while 'other' candidates received 22% of the votes, suggesting that everyone is eager for a new path.
As for South Dakota's John Thune and Texas' John Cornyn, their vote shares of 6% and 5.1% respectively seem a bit awkward. Although Trump has publicly criticized Scott's campaign as 'not serious enough', Scott remains a popular candidate in the MAGA camp ('Make America Great Again'). According to Axios, Scott has been eyeing the majority leader position since March of this year, and MAGA supporters and the media seem to have already parted ways with Trump's personal likes and dislikes.
(Senators Bill Hagerty, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio also support Scott) Right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk stated on platform X: 'Those who just celebrated Trump’s victory obviously don’t want Thune or Cornyn to control the Senate; they want Rick Scott.' Conservative influencer Benny Johnson even fired directly: 'Voting for Scott is a rebellion against Mitch McConnell's pro-anti-Trump corruption. This is the moment for America to rebuild!' Even former Fox News host Tucker Carlson urged his 14.5 million fans to call the senator's office, directly pressuring support for Scott. He said, 'Rick Scott from Florida is the only candidate who supports Trump's views. Thune and Cornyn, they hate Trump!'
(Carlson also believes Scott should be the Senate leader) Despite Scott's advantage in public opinion, competition within the party remains fierce: Thune: the senator from South Dakota, though he has the support of his state colleagues, is seen by the MAGA camp as a continuation of the McConnell line, and his support rate is not high.
Senator from South Dakota
John Thune Cornyn: Senator from Texas, criticized by conservatives as having a 'political stance close to the liberals', also caught in the whirlpool of public opinion. However, he received the endorsement of Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, being called 'the behind-the-scenes contributor to the Republican Party regaining the majority seats.'
Texas Senator John Cornyn
Although Musk's X platform poll is gaining momentum, the actual votes within the party are clearly not solely based on online opinions. However, his way of stirring the political waters on X has once again demonstrated his unique ability to combine technology with power. Scott also took this opportunity to showcase his strengths on Fox News. He emphasized his successful background in the private sector and his cooperation with House Speaker Mike Johnson. 'I built the largest hospital company in the country and also managed the state government of Florida,' he said. The election for the Republican Senate majority leader will take place on Wednesday morning, and Musk's role in this process has made it impossible to ignore his influence in the political arena. The outcome of this 'Musk-endorsed' Senate leader contest may become a key turning point in the future political landscape of the United States.#BabyMarvinf9c7值🉐拥🈶 
