The Hill News

Sen. Roy Blunt formally jumped into the race for Senate Republican Conference vice chairman on Tuesday.

"After receiving encouragement from a number of my colleagues, I’ve decided to run for Senate Republican Conference Vice Chairman," Blunt (Mo.) said in a statement. "America is facing a critical moment when we’re going to decide who we’re going to be as a nation, and I believe this is a good way for me to continue to contribute to this historic debate."

Blunt's announcement means he's challenging Sen. Rob Johnson (Wis.) for the position. Johnson quickly announced his candidacy and started rallying support after Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) announced his decision to step down as Conference chairma! n effective in January.

Alexander's announcement sparked a shift in the Republican Senate leadership as GOPers announced their interest in a series of positions opened up retiring Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and Alexander.

Voting for the new Senate leadership is scheduled for Dec. 13.