Senate Republicans on Wednesday elected South Dakota Senator John Thune as the next leader of the conference.
Thune defeated Texas Senator John Cornyn by a vote of 29 to 24. Florida Senator Rick Scott, an outsider candidate favored by prominent Trump allies including Elon Musk, was eliminated on the first ballot. Thune, 63, is the current Senate Republican Whip. Cornyn, 72, had been the whip in the past.
Thune will be the first new head of the Republican conference in nearly two decades, taking over after Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced earlier this year that he would step down from the post after 18 years. McConnell leaves the role as the longest-serving conference leader in Senate history.
The new GOP leadership team will enter the Senate alongside Republican President Donald Trump in the White House and a Republican majority in the House. The Senate team will be primarily responsible for working with the White House to staff the incoming Trump administration and working with the White House and House to enact Republicans’ legislative priorities.
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Despite the anticipation and public pressure, few senators revealed how they planned to vote in the secret ballot ahead of time.
McConnell announced in February that he would finish his current term as leader before stepping aside for someone else to lead the conference. McConnell’s decision came amid concerns about his health. The senator appeared to freeze multiple times in front of reporters, appearing confused and unable to function.
