Lankford, post border battle, launches Senate GOP leadership bid 

Sen. James Lankford (Okla.), the Republican who helped write a compromise border security bill later tanked by former President Trump and other members of his party, announced Wednesday he will run for the No. 5 spot in Republican leadership.

Lankford, who has served in the upper chamber for nearly a decade, will run to become the Senate GOP conference’s vice chair, a post that is being vacated by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). Capito is running to move up a spot to become the Senate GOP policy chair.

“The Senate Republican Conference Vice Chair plays a vital role in serving Republican Senators and their staff as they communicate the conservative policy ideas that make our nation stronger,” Lankford said in a statement. “As Senators, we were elected to do hard things and to solve problems by doing the right thing, the right way. It is my desire to serve our Conference in every way I can as we work together to solve the challenges our nation faces.”

“I will personally ask each of my colleagues for their support in the days ahead and look forward to discussing with them ways we can work together to serve the nation,” he added. 

The news comes more than a month after Lankford’s made his most prominent foray into the public sphere by negotiating the bipartisan border security package alongside Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.). The bill died a very quick death after conservatives in the upper chamber backed by Trump, now the presumptive GOP nominee for president, rallied against it hours after it was released. 

However, Lankford has remained in good standing with the conference and is the only member of the conference to announce a bid for the post.

His announcement also means all five leadership positions have candidates.

Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are running to replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) atop the conference; Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) is in pole position to become the GOP whip; and Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) are seeking to become the Senate GOP conference chair, the No. 3 position.