Despite election losses, GOP Sen. Cornyn poised for promotion

CNN ^

[Arthurio]

(CNN) - Despite a disappointing showing by Republican Senate candidates on Election Day, the man who spearheaded the GOP Senate election effort is poised to take the number two position in the party's leadership behind Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, several GOP aides told CNN.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is expected next Wednesday to be elected by members of the Republican caucus to become the Minority Whip. He will replace retiring Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona.

His promotion was essentially solidified Thursday after potential rival Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, who as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference is the third-ranking Republican, announced he would seek re-election to that post and not run to move up.

One GOP aide explained that there is not a consensus among Republican senators that Cornyn is to blame for the poor results at the polls that saw the Democrats expand their majority in a year Republicans were widely believed to have a good shot at taking control of the Senate.

[Grams A]

He is less than worthless. But at least the Cornyn-Hutchison duo has been broken up and now maybe we will have one honest Conservative Senator. Hopefully with Cruz on board Cornyn will have to worry about saving his own butt. Keep wondering if Dewhurst will run against him in 2014 - but then we’d have to get someone to run against Dewhurst when he comes up for election. If we do have a choice in 2014 they are going to have to have very deep pockets because Cornyn has been building up his war chest for quite a while.