John Thune Reelected Senate Republican Leader

Senate Republicans reelected John Thune as their leader Tuesday, keeping the South Dakota senator in charge of the conference as the party prepares to enter the minority in the next Congress.

Thune retained the position by acclamation and faced no opposing candidate. The decision followed closed-door discussions over the party's losses in last week's midterm elections.

Some Republican senators had pushed to delay the leadership vote so the conference could first examine the election results and its plans for the next Congress. That effort did not stop the vote from going ahead.

Thune, who succeeded Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican leader in 2025, will continue leading the conference when the new Congress begins in January.