Senate Republican Leadership Election Underway Shortly

At approximately 09:30 ET 14:30 GMT Senate Republicans will begin the process of electing a new minority leader. The process is expected to last several hours.

• Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has mounted the first significant challenge to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in 15 years.
• It is highly unlikely that Scott will gather enough support to threated McConnell, but the open dissent demonstrates the level of animosity amongst Senate Republicans over a poor midterm performance.
• McConnell said yesterday: “I want to repeat again, I have the votes. I will be elected. The only issue is whether we do it sooner or later.”
• Scott has blamed McConnell for failing to outline a clear policy direction, writing in a letter to colleagues: “I believe voters want a plan. They are begging us to tell them what we will do when we are in charge. Unfortunately, we have continued to elect leadership who refuses to do that and elicits attacks on anyone that does.”
• Scott's "12 Point Plan to Rescue America" was dismissed by McConnell and moderate Republicans and identified by the Democrats on the campaign trail as evidence of GOP extremism.