Sen. Johnson praises Rick Scott for throwing his hat in ring to replace Minority Leader McConnell

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., praised fellow Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., for throwing his hat in the ring to replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. 

"I'm very glad that Rick did that," Johnson said on the Friday edition of the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show. "He's an extraordinary individual. He ran the largest hospital association in the country. He is a master of large organizations ... and was a very successful governor in Florida for eight years. So he has executive experience."

Johnson predicted that Scott would take a more business-like approach as a leader in the Senate. 

McConnell announced earlier this year that he would be retiring at the end of the term.

Two other senators have already announced their bids to replace McConnell, but Scott is a more conservative alternative for the leadership roles than Sens. John Thune from South Dakota, and John Cornyn from Texas.

"Rick would be far more collaborative," Johnson. "I think you would embrace the development of a mission statement."

“This is not a time to make small adjustments, I believe we need a dramatic sea change to save our country and that’s why I’m running to be Republican leader,” Scott wrote in a letter obtained by The Hill.