Sen. John Thune (R-SD) has been elected the next GOP leader in the Senate, ushering in a new generation of leadership after nearly two decades of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) running the conference.
A majority of GOP senators supported Thune, currently the Senate minority whip, in a secret ballot held weeks before Republicans take control of the Senate. He received 29 votes on the second ballot on Wednesday, compared to 24 for Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) was eliminated in the first round of voting after receiving the least votes.
The leadership election marks a monumental changing of the guard. McConnell, who announced his retirement from leadership in February, is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, having risen to the post in 2007.
Each of the candidates had signaled a break in McConnell’s leadership style, promising more member input and a return to regular order. But Thune was viewed as the candidate most aligned with McConnell and had a slight advantage as his deputy.
None of the three contenders won enough support on the first ballot, forcing a second round that eliminated Scott, the leader of the conference’s right flank. From there, Thune was able to clinch an outright majority, ending Cornyn’s hopes for a return to the Senate’s leadership ranks.
In 2018, Cornyn was term-limited out of the whip job Thune holds today.
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