Senate Republicans settle on a new party leader after seizing the majority on Election Day
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — It was the first seriously contested Senate Republican leadership election in decades. Three senators were competing to succeed longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky when he steps down from the post at the beginning of next year and Republicans take back the Senate majority. And on Wednesday, it was South Dakota’s John Thune who was elected by fellow Republicans in a secret ballot vote. Thune, along with John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida, had campaigned furiously for the job. They had pledged to give rank-and-file senators more power and to be more communicative. Each tried to make the case that he would be the best person to implement Donald Trump’s agenda.
