Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) emerged victorious from the three-way election for Senate majority leader on Nov. 13 alongside the Republican conference’s five other leadership picks.
As the current minority whip and second-ranking Senate Republican, Thune was viewed as a front-runner in the race to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as the Senate’s GOP leader.
The South Dakotan was one of three senators who vied for the top position in a secret ballot election.
After Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was eliminated from the contest in the first round of voting, Thune defeated Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in a 29–24 vote.
Rounding out the new leadership team will be Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) as majority whip, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) as Republican conference chair, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as Republican Policy Committee chair, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) as Republican conference vice chair, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) as National Republican Senatorial Committee chair.
The senators will assume their new positions in January.
Thune, 63, is only the second South Dakotan in history to be elected to four terms in the U.S. Senate.
He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and served three terms there before losing his first Senate bid in 2002. He tried again two years later and made history by becoming the first person in 52 years to defeat a sitting Senate leader.
In addition to his current role as whip, which he has held since 2019, he previously served as the chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee and the Senate Republican Conference.
After McConnell’s February announcement that he would be stepping down as the GOP leader, many assumed that Thune, as his second-in-command, would make a bid to replace the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
One obstacle Thune faced was his shaky relationship with President-elect Donald Trump.
The senator was critical of Trump’s bid to overturn the results of the 2020 election, describing his actions as “inexcusable.”
Thune and Barrasso
Thune appeared to have softened toward Trump this year amid his bid for Republican leader. He visited the 45th president at his Florida home of Mar-a-Lago and spoke frequently with him over the phone.At a press conference following the leadership election, Thune said the new team was united in its mission to enact Trump’s agenda.
“We have a mandate from the American people, a mandate not only to clean up the mess left by the high Biden–Harris–Schumer agenda but also to deliver on President Trump’s priorities,” Thune said, promising to serve “the entire Republican conference.”
Barrasso will take over Thune’s post as the No. 2 leader in the Republican conference come January.
He ran unopposed for the role, which serves to round up party members for votes and quorum calls. The whip may also stand in for the majority leader in his or her absence.
Barrasso has served as the GOP conference chair and third-ranking Republican for the past six years. He was first elected to the Senate in 2007 and overwhelmingly won reelection to a fourth term on Nov. 5.
The senator enjoys a friendly relationship with the president-elect, having earned his endorsement both for reelection and for the post of Republican whip.
“Millions chose a new president who puts America first. We chose a president who values our freedom, not the heavy hand of Washington bureaucrats. We chose a president who will unleash American energy, secure the border, lower prices, and restore peace through strength,” Barrasso said in a statement.
Cotton Secures New Role
Cotton defeated Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to secure his new role in the only contested race outside the majority leader election.Cotton, widely viewed as a skilled communicator, will take over the conference’s messaging as chair. The two-term senator will also become the third-ranking Republican in the chamber.
At the GOP leadership press conference, Cotton thanked his peers for their support and vowed to work with the president-elect and House Republicans to restore the country to “what it was like when President Trump was in office.”
Moore Capito Promotion
Moore Capito was uncontested in her bid for the No. 4 spot on the Republican leadership team.The win means that the senator and retired educator will be promoted from her current role as vice chair of the Republican Policy Committee.
As chair, she will organize the conference’s weekly policy luncheon that serves as a forum for policy discussions and debate.
Lankford Selected
Lankford will take Moore Capito’s place as vice chair of the Republican Policy Committee. He will be tasked with keeping the minutes at the committee’s luncheons.“We need to defend our values, strengthen us as a nation, and bring prosperity to people that are struggling right now,” Lankford said in an X post.
“I am excited to work with this leadership team, President Trump, and Vice President Vance to get our country back on track. Let’s get to work!”
Tim Scott
After dropping out of the Republican presidential primary race last year, Tim Scott backed Trump for the nomination over fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley.He joined Trump on the campaign trail and earned himself a spot on the candidate’s shortlist for vice president. When that role went to Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), many thought Scott might seek another post in the future Trump administration.
Although an appointment may still come, the senator said he is “honored” to lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s efforts to retain and grow the Republican majority in 2026.
“Donald J. Trump proved that when we fight everywhere with the truth, we win. That is why we must secure a Republican Senate for all four years of the Trump administration, and that work starts today!”
Scott will replace Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) as chair.
