Mitch McConnell's decision to step down as the Republican Senate leader has triggered an internal campaign to nab his coveted position. Senate Republicans will now choose between three candidates to elect a new leader,

Texas' senior U.S. senator, John Cornyn, is hoping to convince his Republican colleagues to name him the next Senate majority leader. Why it matters: Come January, the new Senate majority leader will grease the legislative skids for President-elect Donald Trump's agenda.

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