More than a week after the 2024 election, the U.S. House and Senate have met to decide on their leadership.
U.S. Senator John Thune Elected Next Senate Republican Leader Following Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell
Senator John Thune of South Dakota was elected the next U.S. Senate Majority Leader Wednesday, replacing Sen. Mitch McConnell as the party leader. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, announced he would step down from his leadership role earlier this year. Sen. McConnell plans to serve his term as Kentucky’s senior senator, which ends January 2027.
Thune, now in his fourth term in the Senate, defeated Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida in a secret ballot. Republicans replace McConnell after winning a majority in last week’s election with 53 seats.
“I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House,” Thune said in a statement after the vote. “This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today.”
Sen. McConnell shared a statement regarding the Senate Republican leadership election: “John Thune’s election is a clear endorsement of a consummate leader. The confidence our colleagues have placed in John’s legislative experience and political skill is well deserved. The American people elected Republicans to restore stability and order after four years of Washington Democrats’ failure. John Thune will take the reins with a tremendous opportunity to lead this transformation, and Senate Republicans stand behind him, ready to get to work.”
The Senate Republican Conference elected its leadership team for the 119th Congress, which includes Sen. Thune as Senate Majority Leader, Sen. John Barrasso as Senate Majority Whip, Sen. Tom Cotton as Senate Republican Conference chair, Shelley Moore Capito as Senate Republican policy committee chair, Sen. James Lankford as Senate Republican Conference vice chair, Sen. Tim Scott National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman.
U.S. House of Representatives Projected to Re-Elect Leadership
On Wednesday, House Republicans nominated U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana for a second term. The full House of Representatives will officially elect this leadership position on January 3, the first day of Congress in 2025. Current House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana will remain in their respective roles in the next Congress.
Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina won another term as the National Republican Congressional Committee chairman. Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan won a competitive race for House Republican Conference Chair after Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York was nominated to be President-elect Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Republicans won a majority in the House Wednesday with a less than 10 remaining races to be called following last week’s election. Watch the election results here.
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