John Thune remains the Republican leader in the Senate despite criticism over the democratic wave in the midterms
The South Dakota Republican was reelected as leader after a day of tense closed-door meetings, following the failure of an attempt by a group of senators to postpone the vote.
John Thune (R-SD) will continue to lead Republicans in the Senate. The South Dakota Republican was reelected as leader after a day of tense closed-door meetings, following a failed attempt by a group of senators to postpone the vote.
Thune, who won a close vote in November 2024 to succeed Mitch McConnell as leader, secured another term as leader. Alongside him, the following were also reelected: John Barrasso (R-WY) as minority whip, the person responsible for organizing the caucus's vote, and Tom Cotton (R-AR) as chairman of the Republican Conference. Starting in January, the three will lead the Republican minority in the Senate.
Bernie Moreno, a Republican from Ohio, was elected the new chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), whose mission is to help more Republicans win Senate seats in the 2028 elections.
"I'm proud of what this Republican team has accomplished together, and we remain united in our commitment to advancing conservative priorities, working with President Trump and our colleagues in the House, and holding the line against Democrats' efforts to enact their far-left, liberal agenda," Thune said in a statement released after the vote.
"We have important work ahead of us, and I look forward to serving alongside my colleagues on behalf of the American people," he added.
The vote came after more than seven hours of closed-door discussions among Republicans. According to Fox News, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) led an effort to postpone the election. He was supported by Rick Scott (R-FL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jim Banks (R-IN), Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Josh Hawley (R-MO). The motion failed 31 to 15, so the senators proceeded to vote on the afternoon of November 10.
As Johnson explained, the group was not questioning Thune's leadership in particular, but rather the idea of electing leadership just days after a crushing defeat in the midterm elections: "I did not participate in today’s Senate leadership election because a defeat of this magnitude demands serious reflection and change."
"Holding a rushed election ignores the message our voters sent. We must acknowledge where and why we failed and develop strategies to succeed. I hope our conference can unite, learn from this moment, and do a better job listening to the American people and addressing their concerns," Johnson added on his X account.
On the same day Thune was reelected, House Republicans elected Jim Jordan of Ohio as their new leader. Jordan will replace Mike Johnson, who chose to step down from the leadership following the elections.
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