Republican senators who defied Mitch McConnell removed from powerful committee

Two Senate Republicans who sought to undermine Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s leadership have lost valuable committee assignments in the new Congress.

Committee placements in the upper chamber have had to be reshuffled after Democrats expanded their previous working majority by one seat, having flipped Pennsylvania’s red Senate seat to blue in November.

And one of the GOP lawmakers paying the price is Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who last year oversaw Senate Republicans’ lackluster election showing as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Scott also challenged McConnell’s years-long reign as Senate Republican Leader, though he was soundly defeated by the Kentucky legislator.

He confirmed to multiple sources on Wednesday that both he and Utah Sen. Mike Lee were yanked off of the Senate Commerce Committee.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appears to be exercising retribution for two of his most vocal opponents within the GOP

Lee had given Scott his full-throated endorsement to replace McConnell.

Both also heavily criticized Republican leadership last year for working with Democrats to pass a $1.7 trillion ‘omnibus’ bill to fund the government for a year.

Their removal appears to be a clear signal that those few who challenge McConnell’s leadership will face retribution, even as former President Donald Trump continues to push his allies to oppose him.

‘Mitch happens,’ Lee wrote on Twitter on Wednesday night, in a post that was retweeted by Scott.

Scott told Fox News Digital, which first broke the news, that he believes McConnell kicked him off because of his leadership challenge last year.

Utah Senator Mike Lee was one of 10 Republicans who voted against McConnell as leader

Florida Senator Rick Scott challenged McConnell in the race

He told the outlet that he would not ‘back down.’

‘This is what happens when you challenge leadership,’ Scott told the New York Post.

Freshman Sens. JD Vance of Ohio, Ted Budd of South Carolina and Eric Schmitt of Missouri have reportedly scored seats on the powerful Commerce Committee, The Hill reported.

Thirty-seven members of McConnell’s conference voted to re-elect him as Senate Republican Leader last November.

Scott netted 10 votes, while another senator voted ‘present.’