Senate Republicans choose John Thune to replace Mitch McConnell as majority leader

Senate Republicans chose Senator John Thune of South Dakota to be their new leader, rejecting an outside pressure campaign from Donald Trump’s allies to break with the establishment in the secret-ballot election. Thune, a close ally of retiring leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has been critical of Trump in the past but has worked to repair that relationship in recent months. Thune reassured senators in a closed-door meeting that he would work hand in glove with the new administration and would not butt heads with Trump even on issues such as continuing United States aid for Ukraine, which Trump opposes.

Thune beat Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who was previously in Senate leadership but had promised colleagues he would change the way the conference had been run, 29-24. Thune also beat Senator Rick Scott of Florida. All three candidates had aligned themselves with Trump, who was nearby visiting House Republicans on Wednesday. With Republicans on the brink of a governing trifecta in Washington, Trump looms larger than ever, particularly on Capitol Hill, where his influence looks set to grow in his second term.

The fight to replace McConnell, who is retiring, became a proxy battle over Senate Republicans’ fealty to Trump. Trump has made it clear he expects deference from the chamber after a decisive election win. At a forum featuring the three candidates for leader on Tuesday night, Scott pitched himself as the truest ally to Trump, after picking up high-profile MAGA endorsements from former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson, Republican National Convention Chair Lara Trump, and billionaire Elon Musk.

Scott’s message is that he supports Trump’s agenda.

That includes the issue of United States support for Ukraine as it fights Russia, which Senate Republicans have voted for in the past despite Trump’s opposition. The candidates were asked if they were worried support for Ukraine would be a potential area of disagreement, for example, and all said they would defer to Trump on the issue. The candidates also all promised a change of pace from how McConnell has run the chamber, backing a more open amendment process and soliciting more feedback from senators.

And all said their top priorities would be securing the southern border and reauthorizing the tax cuts set to expire at the end of 2025. There is very little difference between the three of them in terms of how they view how the conference should be run. Senators have received angry phone calls from constituents demanding to know how their representatives plan to vote, following MAGA world’s embrace of Scott.

After the forum, Senators Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Mike Lee of Utah announced they were backing Scott. Scott’s fans have pushed his cause in increasingly personal terms in recent days. Right-wing online personality Laura Loomer targeted Thune’s nephew and daughter, for example, and other influencers posted inaccurate whip lists purporting to show how Republican senators planned to vote in the secret-ballot election.

They should not be offended by the fact that their constituents are calling in and expressing their opinion. Based on the overwhelming support of conservatives for Rick Scott, if a senator is not willing to say it, that will speak volumes. Trump himself avoided weighing in on the race directly so far, despite his allies going all in on Scott.

John Thune also has at least two Senate backers with close relationships with Trump, Senators Steve Daines of Montana and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.

It is good Trump is not weighing in on it, and he does not need to weigh in on it. Trump has got his hands full. Scott is viewed with skepticism by some of his fellow senators for how he handled their campaign apparatus when he presided over the 2022 midterm elections cycle as National Republican Senatorial Committee chair. Republicans underperformed that year in part because of poor recruits.

While he has stayed out of the race, Trump made clear he wants the Republican-led Senate to bend to his will when it comes to his appointments, asserting that he plans to go around the chamber for some nominees. Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner. All three leadership candidates quickly said allowing recess appointments, which requires the Senate to be adjourned for at least 10 days while the president unilaterally appoints nominees, would be an option they would consider.

Such a move could allow Trump to push through controversial nominees who do not have the support of all Republicans. The Senate majority will include 53 seats. Some senators were keeping their deliberations close to their vest as the grass roots convulsed over the election.