And now, a message from Google. The spirit of innovation is deeply ingrained in America,

and Google is helping Americans innovate in ways both big and small. Central Texas Regional Mobility

Authority is using Google AI to create smarter tolling systems and improve traffic flow for Texans.

This is a new era of American innovation.

Find out more at g.co slash American Innovation.

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Punch Bull News Readback podcast.

Today I'm joined by our senior congressional reporter, our in-house Senate expert, Andrew Dezadario.

Andrew, thanks for joining me.

Hey, Max.

It's great to have you on the show.

It's your podcast debut.

We're trying to make it happen for a while now, so good to have you on. Love it. Today we're talking all about the Senate Republican leadership election.

This is playing out as we speak between senators John Thune, John Cornyn, and Rick Scott. Andrew,

tell our listeners sitting here today, where do you think this race stands?

I mean, it's a tough question, Max.

I mean, this has been going on for nine months now.

It's been nine months since Mitch McConnell announced he wasn't going to seek another

term as Senate Republican leader.

And a lot of this has been bubbling behind the scenes.

Obviously, Thune and Cornyn especially have been traveling the country, raising money for incumbent Republicans and Republican candidates. Rick

Scott mostly focused on his own reelection, but now that we are past the actual election,

we have this sort of eight-day sprint, if you will, to the leadership election, which takes place

...