Senate Minority Whip John Thune will soon lead the Republicans in the Senate as the newly elected [1] majority leader of the chamber, succeeding Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has held the role as the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
Thune, a South Dakota Republican, will officially assume the leadership position in January when the new Congress convenes.
Honored to serve as the next U.S. Senate majority leader. pic.twitter.com/zq9XLrPDUr [2]
— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) November 13, 2024 [3]
The decision was made following a series of secret ballots conducted in the old Senate chamber on Wednesday morning.
No candidate initially gained the majority needed on the first ballot, which led to a narrowed contest.
Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla., received the fewest votes in the initial round and was eliminated from the race, leaving the final choice between Thune and Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas.
In the end, Thune received at least 27 votes out of the 53-member GOP conference, securing his place as the party’s leader in the upper chamber.
The voting process followed a Tuesday night forum hosted by Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, where the candidates presented their visions to their fellow Republicans.
During the forum, each candidate made their case to the conference, laying out their ideas for the future of the Senate and their plans to represent conservative priorities effectively.
While Scott had picked up two endorsements from Senators Lee and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., following the forum, his overall pitch appeared to fall short of convincing the broader Republican caucus.
Public endorsements came from several GOP senators, including Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.; Mike Rounds, R-S.D.; Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; and John Hoeven, R-N.D. Additionally, National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont., reportedly urged colleagues to back Thune behind the scenes.
Though Scott garnered significant public support from a lineup of prominent GOP figures, including Senators Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., it was not enough to secure his position in the final round. Senator Cornyn, meanwhile, received just one public endorsement, from Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
In the nominating speeches preceding the votes, Rubio and Hagerty spoke in favor of Scott, while Daines and Rounds advocated for Thune. Cornyn’s nominating speeches were not publicly disclosed.
The new leader’s responsibilities will include unifying the Republican conference and implementing the legislative priorities of the GOP.
As Thune prepares to take the reins in January, he will inherit the task of shaping the Republican response to key legislative issues and steering the party’s strategy in the Senate.
The new Congress will present an opportunity for Thune and the GOP to pursue their policy objectives and respond to the incoming administration’s actions.