Alexander to bid for No. 3 Senate GOP post
Lott, of Mississippi, last year beat Alexander by one vote to become minority whip. Alexander said in a statement that he will support Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona to replace Lott and that he will seek to fill Kyl’s position as conference chairman.
“If Jon is elected, I will be a candidate to succeed him,” Alexander said. “That is where I believe I can make the greatest contribution to the effectiveness of the Senate and our Republican conference.”
The whip, or assistant minority leader, is responsible for organizing and Republican senators and monitoring how they plan to vote on legislation.
Lott, 66, said he wants to spend more time with his family and to pursue other job opportunities, possibly teaching.
His decision to retire by year’s end occurred five years after he triggered an uproar and ouster as Senate Republican leader following comments interpreted as endorsing segregation during a 100th birthday party for retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond.
Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was elected minority leader after Tennessee Republican Bill Frist, who had served as majority leader, retired in January. Republicans lost control of the Senate in last year’s general election.
Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is one potential opponent for the conference chairmanship. Hutchinson is currently chairwoman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, the No. 4 position in party leadership.
Alexander, 67, is up for re-election next year. He was first elected to the Senate in 2002 and was previously a two-term governor, U.S. education secretary, a university president and a two-time presidential candidate.
Democrat Mike McWherter, 51, son of former governor Ned McWherter, has formed an exploratory committee to run for the Democratic Senate nomination next year.