Senate Republicans reelected Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to lead them on Tuesday, a week after midterm losses cost the party its Senate majority. Thune, 65, ran unopposed and was elected by acclamation, with no ballots cast against him, according to his spokesman.
The decision came after three closed-door meetings in the Old Senate Chamber, the party's first gathering since losing at least seven seats in the Nov. 3 elections. Some senators, led by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, tried to delay the leadership vote to give the party more time to reckon with the losses, but the conference voted 31-15 to proceed. Johnson walked out of the room as the voting began.
The rest of the leadership team was also returned to its posts: Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, Conference Chair Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and policy chair Shelley Moore Capito.
Thune, who replaced Sen. Mitch McConnell as leader in early 2025, will become minority leader when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3, leading a minority of no more than 46 senators. Democrats flipped Republican-held seats in Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, with two races still uncalled in Alaska and Mississippi.
Thune was instrumental in passing many of President Donald Trump's second-term priorities, including the GOP's massive budget bill, and his swift reelection signaled he still enjoys broad support among his colleagues despite days of griping about the need for a new direction as the party eyes a post-Trump era.
"I appreciated the opportunity to have an open, honest, and transparent conversation with my colleagues today, and I am honored to have their continued trust and support," Thune said in a statement after the vote.
The contrast with the House was sharp: on the same day, House Republicans elected Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as their next leader, defeating Majority Leader Steve Scalise 106-73 in a secret ballot, after Speaker Mike Johnson declined to seek the post. Both chambers flip to Democratic control in January.
