If McConnell is removed at some future time, the axis of power within the Senate will shift, and so will she.
“would mean a loss of influence within the Republican Senate caucus,”
Influence...that’s what Chuckie has. The REPUBs only influence under McConnell is to get credit for the article in the bill proposing that WikiLeaks is an enemy of the US State.
The Senate Majority Leader supports Flake, therefore his troops in the Senate are expected to fall into line. Failure to do so would mean a loss of influence within the Republican Senate caucus, influence that can make or break a senator. Ernst is doing what her position requires her to do, nothing more.
Sore loser and now Senate committee Chairwoman Murkowski ran against the Republican nominee in Alaska. I see how much influence she has lost in the Republican Senate caucus. Apparently, some animals are more equal than others.