2024 Senate Republican Conference leadership election

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2024 Senate Republican Conference leadership election
Seal of the United States Senate.svg
←  2022 November 13, 2024
53 Republican Senators-elect in the 119th Congress
27 votes needed for a majority
  John Thune 117th Congress portrait cropped.jpg John Cornyn (cropped).jpg Official Portrait of Senator Rick Scott (cropped).jpg
Candidate John Thune John Cornyn Rick Scott
First ballot23 (43.4%)15 (28.3%)13 (24.5%)
Second ballot29 (54.7%)24 (45.3%)Eliminated
Leader before election

Mitch McConnell

Elected Leader

John Thune

On November 13, 2024, Republican members of the United States Senate held an election to determine the next leader of the Senate Republican Conference, who is poised to become the next majority leader of the United States Senate at the start of the 119th U.S. Congress. Republicans regained control of the chamber in the 2024 election, flipping three Democratic seats and securing a 53–47 majority.

Contents

Incumbent Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has served in the position since 2007, announced in February 2024 that he would step down at the start of the next session, triggering the election to succeed him. The election was held by secret ballot, with only those who will serve as Republican senators in the 119th Congress allowed to cast a vote.

Senators John Cornyn, Rick Scott and John Thune were the only official candidates on the ballot. After receiving the fewest number of votes on the first ballot, Scott was eliminated. Thune won the election on the second ballot, after receiving a majority of the ballots cast.

Overview

Senator Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Senate Republican Conference since 2007, announced in February 2024 that he would step down from his leadership position following the 2024 United States Senate elections. [1] Those elections resulted in a Republican majority in the Senate, meaning the winner of the leadership election would become Senate majority leader. [2]

The Senate majority leader serves as the chief representative of their party in the Senate, and is considered the most powerful member of the Senate. The Senate's executive and legislative business is also managed and scheduled by the majority leader. [3]

Key issues for the election include the proposed implementation of term-limits for the Senate Republican leader, a proposed expansion of the leaders power over appointments to Senate committees and how to pass president-elect Donald Trump's agenda. [4] [5] [6]

The secret ballot election was held on November 13 by a conference of Republican senators. A candidate must receive a majority of votes cast to become leader; if no candidate receives a majority, the lowest vote getter is eliminated and the senators vote again. [7]

Candidates

The following candidates declared their intent to run.

CandidateStateOther Senate rolesRef.
John Cornyn.jpg
John Cornyn 		Texas
(Served since 2002)		 Republican Senate Whip
(2013–2019)		 [8]
Official Portrait of Senator Rick Scott (R-FL).jpg
Rick Scott 		Florida
(Served since 2019)		Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
(2021–2023)		 [9]
John Thune 117th Congress portrait.jpg
John Thune 		South Dakota
(Served since 2005)		 Republican Senate Whip
(Since 2019)
Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee
(2015–2019)
Chair of the Senate Republican Conference
(2012–2019)
Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee
(2009–2012)		 [10]

Endorsements

John Cornyn
Senators
Rick Scott
Senators
U.S. Representatives
Notable individuals
John Thune
Senators

Results

CandidateFirst BallotSecond Ballot
VotesPercentVotesPercent
John Thune 2343.40%2954.72%
John Cornyn 1528.30%2445.28%
Rick Scott 1324.53%Eliminated
Write-in23.77%00.00%
Total53100.00%53100.00%

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References

  1. ↑ Tackett, Michael (February 28, 2024). "McConnell will step down as the Senate Republican leader in November after a record run in the job". Associated Press . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  2. ↑ Hubbard, Kaia (November 8, 2024). "Republicans win majority in the Senate, flipping control of upper chamber, CBS News projects". CBS News . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  3. ↑ Wallner, James (August 1, 2018). "What makes Senate leaders so powerful?". Leg Branch. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  4. ↑ Kight, Stef W. (June 20, 2024). "Senate GOP wrestles with post-McConnell term limits". Axios . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  5. ↑ Perano, Ursula (June 26, 2024). "Senate GOP clamor over leadership changes grows louder as Lee insists on term limits". Politico . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Raju, Manu; Barrett, Ted; Fox, Lauren (November 4, 2024). "Battle to replace McConnell remains wide-open as top candidates quietly woo key senators — and Trump". CNN . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  7. ↑ Mondeaux, Cami; Touchberry, Ramsey; Sivak, David (November 9, 2024). "Majority makers: Guide to GOP leadership elections in the Senate and House". The Gazette . Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  8. ↑ Choi, Matthew (February 29, 2024). "John Cornyn announces he's running for Senate GOP leader". The Texas Tribune . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ McIntire, Mary Ellen (May 22, 2024). "Florida's Rick Scott enters race to be next Senate GOP leader". Roll Call . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ Figueroa, Ariana (March 4, 2024). "South Dakota's John Thune enters race to succeed McConnell as U.S. Senate GOP leader". Alabama Reflector. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  11. ↑ Bolton, Alexander (November 8, 2024). "Hawley will back Cornyn for Senate GOP leader". The Hill . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ Housler, Kaitlin (November 12, 2024). "Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Throws Support Behind Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader". Tennessee Star. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  13. ↑ Choi, Matthew (November 13, 2024). "Ted Cruz announces he's backing Rick Scott in Senate leadership vote, snubbing John Cornyn". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 Stef W., Kight (November 9, 2024). "Rick Scott scores major MAGA momentum for Senate Republican leader". Axios . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  15. 1 2 Stef W., Kight (November 7, 2024). "Scoop: Trump dismissed Rick Scott as Senate GOP leader". Axios . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Venegas, Natalie (November 10, 2024). "Trump Allies Line Up Behind Rick Scott to Be Next Senate Majority Leader". Newsweek . Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Stef W., Kight (November 10, 2024). "Rubio throws weight behind Rick Scott for GOP leader". Axios . Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  18. ↑ Crown, Kayode (November 10, 2024). "Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville endorses Rick Scott for majority leader: 'America First agenda...now'". AL.com. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  19. ↑ Kapur, Sahil; Dixon, Matt; Tsirkin, Julie (November 11, 2024). "Senate Republican leadership fight becomes a proxy for MAGA influence under Trump". NBC News . Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  20. ↑ Chatelain, Ryan (November 11, 2024). "Some Trump allies lining up behind Rick Scott for Senate majority leader". Spectrum News . Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  21. ↑ Weaver, Al (November 11, 2024). "Senate GOP turned off by Rick Scott pressure campaign". The Hill. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  22. ↑ Adragna, Anthony (November 10, 2024). "Trump presses next GOP Senate leader to allow 'recess appointments'". Politico . Retrieved November 11, 2024. Endorsements have also rolled in for Scott from influential figures in the Trump-aligned MAGA movement such as... Glenn Beck
  23. ↑ "Rick Scott Makes Big Prediction On His Senate GOP Leadership Hopes". YouTube. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  24. ↑ Schwartz, Ian (November 12, 2024). "Sen. Rick Scott: Trump Needs A Business Guy Running The Senate To Get His Agenda Passed". RealClearPolitics . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  25. ↑ Kight, Stef (November 10, 2024). "Musk backs Scott for GOP leader, knocks Thune". Axios . Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  26. 1 2 Bade, Rachael; Daniels, Eugene (November 11, 2024). "Playbook: The Rick Scott backlash builds". Politico . Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  27. 1 2 Johnson, Julia (November 11, 2024). "John Thune snags 2 more endorsements in competitive GOP leader race to succeed McConnell". Fox News. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  28. ↑ Kight, Stef W. (October 31, 2024). "Trump ally Steve Daines privately backs Thune for Senate GOP leader". Axios. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  29. ↑ Kenne, C.J. (October 9, 2024). "Rounds supports Thune for Senate leadership". South Dakota Public Broadcasting . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
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