Texas' senior U.S. senator, John Cornyn, is hoping to convince his Republican colleagues to name him the next Senate majority leader. Why it matters: Come January, the new Senate majority leader will grease the legislative skids for President-elect Donald Trump's agenda.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a rising conservative star, announced this week that he will support Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in the Senate Republican leadership race, giving Cornyn his first public endorsement in the Senate GOP conference.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) will support Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Wednesday when Republicans choose their next Senate leader, marking the first public endorsement for Cornyn since the leadership race began.