Senate Republicans reelect Thune to lead party in next Congress

Senate Republicans reelected John Thune without opposition as their leader on November 10, positioning him to lead the party in the minority in the next Congress.

CBS News reports that Republicans chose Thune for another two years as their leader. The selection keeps the South Dakota senator at the head of the conference as it prepares for its upcoming minority role.

The leadership decision followed a separate dispute over when to hold the election. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin led an effort to delay the selection so members could discuss the party’s direction. Alex Miller of Fox News reports that the conference voted 31–15 to proceed with the scheduled leadership election. That figure concerns the timing decision, not a tally for Thune’s reelection.

On November 9, before the selection, Thune told CBS News he considered it important to settle some issues soon and said members would decide the timing. CBS also reports that he emphasized further work on affordability in the coming Congress. Those remarks outline a prospective priority for the party’s next term.