John Thune forces secret ballot to become next Senate GOP leader, replacing Mitch McConnell
Senate GOP Leader John Thune has emerged as the new leader of the Senate Republican Party, positioning himself to take over for Mitch McConnell, who had been the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
Thune, from South Dakota and a Republican by party affiliation, takes over from McConnell starting January, assuming the mantle, which McConnell has worn through his remarkable tenure of service to the Republican Party in the Senate.
Thune said in a statement: “I am truly humbled to have earned the trust of my colleagues to help lead the Senate in the 119th Congress. I am proud of what we have accomplished to secure our majority and the White House. This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work begins immediately.
Sources with Fox News Digital, who spoke on background, said that during an initial secret ballot vote Wednesday in the historic Senate chamber none of the candidates won a majority.
The fewest number of votes were for Senator Rick Scott of Florida who bowed out of the competition. A second vote confirmed Thune’s win between Thune and himself.
Thune’s office said he received 29 votes to Cornyn’s 24. “I’m looking forward to working with this team and getting to work right away,” Thune said in the hallway after his narrow win.
The two candidates made their final pitches to their Republican Senate colleagues at a forum hosted by Utah Senator Mike Lee late Tuesday night.
Joining Thune in leadership positions are: Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, assistant majority leader; Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Chair of the Republican Conference; Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Chair of the Republican Policy Committee; Oklahoma Senator James Lankford, vice chair of the Republican Conference; and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
After the meeting, Scott received two other public endorsements from U.S. Senators Mike Lee and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.
One of many questions Blackburn posed during the discussion, a source close to Fox News Digital said, was how conservative voices could be magnified in the Senate and specifically how Trump’s mass deportations would be carried out.
Another Fox News Digital source, however, emphasized that the presentation of Scott did not impress everyone: “Scott’s remarks did little to persuade or impress the members. He focused more on being a businessman rather than on the priorities in the Senate.”.
Before the election, Thune had public support from a number of his colleagues: Sens. Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma; Mike Rounds, South Dakota; Kevin Cramer, North Dakota; and John Hoeven, North Dakota. A Fox News Digital source also confirmed that Steve Daines, National Republican Senatorial Committee chair from Montana, had been whipping his colleagues to support Thune.
Scott, by contrast, received maximum public support as he received endorsements from Senators Ted Cruz of Texas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, and Marco Rubio of Florida.
