Key Points
Senate Minority Whip John Thune is set to replace Mitch McConnell as the new Republican leader in the U.S. Senate.
Thune will assume his new leadership role in January, guiding the Senate majority for the 119th Congress.
Thune’s victory followed a tightly contested, multi-ballot election process within the Republican caucus.
Background and Election Process
On Wednesday, Republican senators held a closed-door session to vote for their next Senate leader, as Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, steps down from his leadership role. The process involved two rounds of secret ballots, with Thune emerging as the final winner.
First Round:
Three candidates competed in the initial ballot: Thune, Senator Rick Scott of Florida, and Senator John Cornyn of Texas.
Scott was eliminated in the first round after receiving the fewest votes.
Second Round:
The final ballot saw Thune and Cornyn go head-to-head, with Thune winning 29 votes against Cornyn’s 24.
Statements from Thune
Thune expressed gratitude to his fellow Republican senators, stating that he felt "honored to have earned the support" of his colleagues. He emphasized unity within the party and voiced enthusiasm to support the policy agenda of former President Donald Trump.
"I am excited to work with this team and get to work right away," Thune told reporters after his election win.
New GOP Leadership Team
Thune will lead a team that includes several prominent Republican senators in key positions:
John Barrasso (WY): Assistant Majority Leader
Tom Cotton (AR): Republican Conference Chair
Shelley Moore Capito (WV): Republican Policy Committee Chair
James Lankford (OK): Republican Conference Vice Chair
Tim Scott (SC): National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair
Republican Endorsements and Support
Ahead of the vote, Thune received endorsements from several Republican senators, including:
Markwayne Mullin (OK), Mike Rounds (SD), Kevin Cramer (ND), John Hoeven (ND)
Steve Daines (MT), who is the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman and reportedly encouraged support for Thune.
In contrast, Scott received backing from notable conservative senators, including:
Ted Cruz (TX), Ron Johnson (WI), Bill Hagerty (TN), Rand Paul (KY), Tommy Tuberville (AL), Marco Rubio (FL)
Cornyn’s support was limited, with his only public endorsement coming from Sen. Josh Hawley (MO).
Closing Remarks
Thune’s election signals a new chapter for Senate Republicans as they prepare to take on legislative challenges in the upcoming Congress. The new leadership team is expected to advance key Republican priorities, aligning with the goals set during Trump’s presidency. Thune will officially take on his role as Senate GOP leader in January, succeeding McConnell’s decades-long leadership tenure.
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