John Thune of South Dakota Elected as Next Senate Majority Leader

by · NY Times

Republican Senators Elect John Thune as Next Majority Leader

The institutionalist South Dakotan emerged victorious over a right-wing, MAGA-backed challenge from Senator Rick Scott of Florida.

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In elevating Senator John Thune of South Dakota, G.O.P. senators turned to a traditional Republican in the mold of Senator Mitch McConnell.
Credit...Tom Brenner for The New York Times

By Luke Broadwater and Carl Hulse

Reporting from the Capitol

Republicans on Wednesday elected Senator John Thune of South Dakota, their No. 2 in the chamber, to serve as majority leader in the next Congress, choosing a G.O.P. institutionalist to replace Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate’s longest-serving leader.

In elevating Mr. Thune, 63, G.O.P. senators turned to a traditional Republican in the mold of Mr. McConnell, and rejected a challenger more aligned with President-elect Donald J. Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

In a closed-door vote conducted by secret ballot, Mr. Thune emerged victorious by a vote of 29 to 24 over Senator John Cornyn of Texas, another well-respected establishment Republican, according to two people familiar with the vote. Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who pitched himself as the Trump candidate in the race and had been supported by right-wing allies of the president-elect, was forced out of the contest in an earlier round of voting after drawing just 13 supporters, well behind Mr. Thune and Mr. Cornyn, they said.

After Mr. Thune had won, Mr. Cornyn called for him to ascend to the leader position through acclamation — or without objection or dissent — a move that signaled the Senate would retain some of its civility in the raucous world of the MAGA movement.

The outcome suggested that the Republican-controlled Senate would keep some independence from Mr. Trump. But it was unclear whether the private show of resistance to a Trump ally would translate into public defiance of the newly elected president.

Over the years, Mr. Thune has been no automatic yes man to Mr. Trump. He opposed Mr. Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and initially endorsed Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina for the presidential nomination.

But in his acceptance speech, Mr. Thune made clear he knew it was his job to deliver Mr. Trump’s legislative priorities through the Senate.

“We are excited to reclaim the majority and get to work with our colleagues in the House to enact President Trump’s agenda,” Mr. Thune said, adding, “We will make sure that the president and his team have the tools and support that they need to enforce border security laws and to remove the violent criminals who are wreaking havoc in every one of our states.”

Mr. Thune also suggested that the Senate would carry out its constitutional responsibility as a check on the presidency. He said he would maintain the Senate’s legislative filibuster, which would mean that Democrats could block certain legislation if Republicans will not compromise with them.

And he said the Senate would continue to vet nominees to Mr. Trump’s administration. Still, he left open the idea he might embrace Mr. Trump’s demand to use recess appointments to force through his more troubled nominees should the Democrats throw up too many roadblocks.

“We want to make sure our committees have confirmation hearings like they typically do,” Mr. Thune said.

Only hours later, it became clear that keeping Mr. Trump’s nominees on track could be a tricky endeavor for Mr. Thune. Several Republicans were shocked on Wednesday afternoon at the news that the president-elect had chosen Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, to serve as his attorney general and questioned whether he could draw the votes necessary to be confirmed.

In addition to Mr. Thune’s victory, several other Republican senators were voted in as members of the leadership team. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming captured the No. 2 post; Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas defeated Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa for the No. 3 position; Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia took the No. 4 job; Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma and Mr. Scott of South Carolina also were elected to leadership.

In the House, Republicans unanimously nominated Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to lead their conference again in the next Congress.

The switch in leadership in the Senate represented a remarkable moment after Mr. McConnell has held on to power there for 18 years nearly without challenge.

Just five Republican senators besides Mr. Thune and Mr. Cornyn came to the Senate before Mr. McConnell took charge in 2007, and only a handful of Democrats have served in a Senate where Mr. McConnell was not either majority or minority leader. Mr. McConnell played his strategic cards close to his chest and sought to push his conference in his direction. That leadership style is sure to change.

Mr. Thune made his case in an opinion essay on Fox News on Monday, arguing that Senate Republicans needed to fulfill Mr. Trump’s promises to voters in order to keep the support of a multiethnic, multiracial coalition that swept him into a second term.

“If we fail to deliver on President Trump’s priorities, we will lose their support,” he wrote. “They have trusted us with their votes. Now we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

He also pitched colleagues on his plans to open up the Senate floor to more debate and amendments and said he would meet regularly with Speaker Mike Johnson.

The former president has railed against Mr. Thune in the past over his refusal to go along with Mr. Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Mr. Trump referred to Mr. Thune as a “RINO” — Republican in name only — and called him “Mitch’s boy.”

And he vowed to run a primary opponent against Mr. Thune, promising to end his political career.

But Mr. Thune has worked to improve his rapport with the president-elect. He visited Mar-a-Lago in the spring and spoke with Mr. Trump just days ago.

While allies of Mr. Trump lambasted senators who refused to endorse Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Trump did not ultimately weigh in himself, perhaps sensing Mr. Scott could not win.

“Congratulations to Senator John Thune, the Newly Elected Senate Majority Leader,” Mr. Trump wrote on social media after the vote. “He moves quickly, and will do an outstanding job.”

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