Who could replace Mitch McConnell when he steps down from Republican leadership in November? The ‘Three Johns’ wait in the wings as Tom Cotton also makes a bid for a top GOP slot

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced in November that he was stepping down from his role as a Republican in the Senate, sparking debate over who could replace the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history.

There are ‘three Johns’ waiting in the wings who could take over the prominent role, but there are others who could also throw their names into the ring.

In a tearful speech on Wednesday, McConnell, 82, said it was time for the “next generation of leadership” and that he had full confidence his conference would choose his replacement.

Now all eyes are on his two current and one former lieutenants — Sens. John Thune, John Barrasso and John Cornyn — all seen as those most likely to take the top role in Senate GOP leadership.

A source familiar told DailyMail.com that Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., also plans to run for a Republican leadership position.

Additionally, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, one of two women in the Republican Senate leadership, could be a potential dark horse candidate in the race, while Sen. Joni Ernst, another member of the Republican leadership, ruled herself out on Wednesday.

JOHN NO. 1: South Dakota Senator John Thune is currently second to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Senate leadership

John No. 1 is Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, who currently serves as McConnell’s No. 2 in Senate leadership.

At 63 years old, he is the youngest of the three top contenders.

Thune has served in the Senate since 2005 after his shocking election victory against then-Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle.

He narrowly defeated the prominent Democrat, 50.6 to 49.4 percent, showing the increasingly right-wing side of the state.

It was one of the most watched races of the 2004 cycle.

Thune took over as McConnell’s No. 2 in 2019, as one of the other Johns — Sen. John Cornyn of Texas — was term-limited due to Republican leadership rules.

Like McConnell, he feuded with former President Donald Trump over the ex-president’s attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

But earlier this month he endorsed Trump for president in the 2024 election.

JOHN NO. 2: Texas Sen. John Cornyn was previously McConnell’s top lieutenant, but Republican term limits limit leadership positions, so Thune took over in 2019

John No. 2 is Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who previously served as McConnell’s right-hand man in Senate leadership.

Cornyn, 72, was elected to the Senate in 2002 and served as the Republican Party’s Senate Whip from 2013 to 2019, following a successful stint as chairman of the National Republican Senate Committee.

Previously, he served as a district judge, member of the Texas Supreme Court and attorney general of the Lone Star State.

Republicans’ term limits limit their leadership positions, so Cornyn’s whipping gig was taken over by Thune in 2019.

Since then, he has served as Republican negotiator on a bipartisan gun control bill passed after the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde in Cornyn’s home state of Texas.

Like McConnell and Thune, Cornyn was critical of Trump, at one point saying “we need to come up with an alternative” Republican candidate for 2024.

He endorsed Trump for president in January.

JOHN NO. 3: Senator John Barrasso is the current No. 3 in Republican Senate leadership and will likely move to the No. 2 spot if Senate Republicans get a new head

John No. 3 is Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming and is currently chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, meaning he is the third most powerful Republican in the Senate.

Barrasso, 71, is an orthopedic surgeon by profession, but also worked for a time as a rodeo doctor.

He originally ran for Senate in 1996 when longtime Sen. Alan Simpson retired, but lost the Republican Party primary to state Sen. Mike Enzi, who won the general election in the deep-red state.

He won his seat after the death of Senator Craig Thomas in 2007, after serving in the Wyoming Senate.

Although Barrasso is more likely to take the No. 2 position, he does have a good relationship with Trump, whom he also supported during the presidential race in January.

A source familiar told DailyMail.com that Senator Cotton will run for Senate leadership. Senator Capito has also been introduced as a member of the current Republican Senate leadership

Two other potential contenders are Capito and Cotton.

Capito, 70, of West Virginia is the current vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference and would be the first woman to serve in that role.

Cotton, 46, has served in the Senate since 2015. He is currently a member of the Committee on Judiciary, Intelligence and Armed Forces.