Sen. John Thune will replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as Republican Senate Majority Leader after a close contest Wednesday that took two ballots to resolve.
Thune, McConnell’s top deputy and an establishment favorite, must guide a conference hungry for changes after McConnell’s iron grip. He’s also tasked for guiding President Donald Trump’s agenda through the Senate, advancing his nominees swiftly and moving Trump’s aggressive legislative agenda.
Thune received 23 votes on the first ballot – four short of locking up a victory. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) received 15, and Sen. Rick Scott 13.
On the second ballot, Thune secured a victory over Cornyn 29 to 24.
Republicans convened Tuesday night for a leadership forum organized by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) as they grappled with who best to lead them through the Trump administration and beyond.
Those discussions centered on how to return more autonomy to individual senators as well as effectively advance a conservative agenda after McConnell often partnered with Democrats to advance legislation, most notably spending bills, disfavored by conservatives.
Scott, the conservative favorite, seemed to gain traction after the forum. His candidacy likely initiated concessions from Thune and Cornyn.
McConnell served for 18 years. It’s unlikely Thune will match that record reign.
But Thune, generally considered the favorite despite his past animosity towards Trump, must navigate the challenges of a much different Senate composed by much more Trump-friendly Republicans.
