John Thune has been elected Republican leader in the Senate to usher in Donald Trump’s ambitious Republican majority in Congress after a closed vote Wednesday morning.
Thune, 63, will replace outgoing Kentucky leader Mitch McConnell after the 82-year-old announced he would step down from the leadership role.
He successfully fended off a left-wing challenge from Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who had the support of Trump’s trusted adviser, billionaire Elon Musk, and other MAGA believers.
Thune and Trump have had a complicated relationship over the years, and many in the president-elect’s inner circle did not want him to lead the MAGA agenda.
He called on Trump to quit the 2016 presidential race after the infamous Access Hollywood tape was leaked and was critical of his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
But in recent months, Thune has made his support for Trump known, including being one of the first to endorse him during the primaries, and the two have a better relationship.
Their communications will be critical as Thune will be tasked with shepherding all of Trump’s Cabinet picks through the Senate confirmation process.
McConnell was the longest-serving Republican leader in Senate history, serving about 18 years. But his years-long feud with Trump put him at odds with many in the Republican party who wanted a MAGA leader to enter the newly elected president’s second term.
He also suffered several health problems after a fall last year, which led to bizarre ‘freezing episodes’ that raised concerns.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune will become the Senate Republican leader in January
The South Dakota senator, who is currently the number two Republican in Senate leadership, said he is “honored to have the support” of his colleagues.
He has been in the Senate since 2005 and is seen as an institutionalist who receives support from important supporters in the House.
Thune won the leadership election over former Texas Whip Sen. John Cornyn in a runoff, resulting in a 29-24 vote.
It is a clear sign that the Senate is joining the traditional seniority structure.
“I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House. This Republican team stands united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work begins today,” Thune said in a statement after his victory.
Thune said he and the rest of the GOP leadership team will “set President Trump’s agenda” and “realize” his priorities.
These include enforcing strict border security laws, streamlining the “bureaucratic machine” and restoring U.S. energy dominance.
Trump never publicly endorsed the race, but he did issue a directive over the weekend saying the leader must agree to push through his Cabinet picks quickly.
“Any Republican senator seeking a leadership position must agree to Senate recess appointments,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘We cannot wait years for confirmation; vacancies must be filled immediately.’
“This is what they stopped four years ago, and it won’t happen again. In addition, no judges should be confirmed during this period as Democrats try to push through their judges while Republicans fight for leadership.”
Thune said the Senate must “act quickly and decisively to get the presidential nominees in place as quickly as possible.”
Thune fended off a left-field challenge from Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who had the support of Trump’s trusted adviser, billionaire Elon Musk, and other MAGA faithful.
He said that “all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess agreements.”
“We cannot allow Schumer and Senate Democrats to block the will of the American people,” Thune wrote on X.
Musk endorsed Scott, along with other MAGA believers including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
Even Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, endorsed Scott despite Cornyn being the other senator from their shared state.
Thune won the leadership election over former Whip Sen. John Cornyn, Texas, in a runoff, resulting in a 29-24 vote
Scott was seen as the most pro-Trump candidate and received support from key supporters in the president-elect’s inner circle, such as Elon Musk and Robert Kennedy Jr., before the vote.
Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson notably threw his support behind the Florida senator, while throwing two other candidates under the bus.
“Two out of three candidates hate Trump and his positions. One of them, John Cornyn, is an angry liberal whose politics are indistinguishable from those of Liz Cheney,” Carlson said this week.
“The elections are on Wednesday, by secret ballot, and they will determine whether or not the new government succeeds,” he continued. “Rick Scott of Florida is the only candidate who agrees with Donald Trump.”
Scott thanked his “colleagues and the millions of Americans” who supported his campaign and “raised their voices to demand change.”
“We will never stop fighting to change our country, advance President Trump’s agenda, and make America great again,” he wrote on X.
Some lawmakers complained about outside pressure and candidate advocacy.
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McConnell was the longest-serving Republican leader in Senate history, serving about 18 years
Trump visited Republicans in the House of Representatives on Wednesday before votes began in the Senate
The senators were confined to the Old Senate Chamber — a small ceremonial part of the Capitol usually reserved for tours — for the closed election that required 27 votes for victory.
Thune will soon take control of a commanding 53-47 Republican majority to implement Trump’s top legislative priorities.
Like-minded Speaker Mike Johnson will take over the Republican-controlled House of Representatives in January, giving conservatives unfettered control.