On a day when the news was overwhelmed by Donald Trump’s controversial Cabinet announcements, a crucial election on Capitol Hill faded into the background. The Republicans, who will control the Senate starting in January, have a new leader: John Thune, Sen. from South Dakota.
In a secret vote on Wednesday, the 63-year-old clearly beat the competition. This is the first time in 17 years that there has been a change at the top of the parliamentary group. Mitch McConnell had led the Republicans since 2007. However, the 82-year-old announced in February that he would give up his leadership role after the election.
Like McConnell, Thune is also considered a man of the Republican establishment. Many of Trump’s closest advisors, such as Elon Musk and Marco Rubio, had therefore spoken out in favor of MAGA-affiliated Senator Rick Scott. However, this was thrown out in the first round of voting. In the end, Thune prevailed against his remaining competitor John Cornyn with 29 votes to 24.
Who is the new powerful man in the Senate? And what does his election mean for Trump’s agenda? An overview.
