Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) has taken his name out of running for the FBI director position. | AP Photo Cornyn pulls out of running for FBI director job

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) has told the Trump administration he will no longer pursue the post of FBI director, after interviewing for the job on Saturday.

Though Cornyn's interest in the job surprised some of his colleagues due to his high rank in the Senate Republican Conference, Attorney General Jeff Sessions had personally implored Cornyn to consider it. Sessions, a former Alabama senator, appealed to Cornyn's "desire to restore stability to the FBI," a person familiar with Cornyn's thinking said. President Donald Trump also called Cornyn and asked him to consider the job, the person said.


Cornyn interviewed with Sessions, but the upbeat Texan encountered roadblocks nearly right away. Democrats and some Republicans said that a former or current politician should not hold the post given the scrutiny of President Donald Trump after he fired Comey. And Cornyn, who is a favorite to eventually become the Senate Republican leader, had to mull his own prospects for promotion given the fact he will be term-limited from his post at the end of 2018.

Cornyn will likely lose his leadership post in 2019 as the rest of the Senate leadership team ascends, with Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) emerging as a likely contender for the whip job. If Cornyn had left for the FBI job, Thune was planning a campaign for whip, a source close to Thune said. But by staying in the Senate, Cornyn remains a favored successor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

“Now more than ever the country needs a well-credentialed, independent FBI director. I’ve informed the administration that I’m committed to helping them find such an individual, and that the best way I can serve is continuing to fight for a conservative agenda in the U.S. Senate," Cornyn said in a statement.

The decision by Cornyn marks the second prominent elected official to withdraw from consideration. Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) also did so this week.