South Dakota Sen. John Thune has been chosen by Republican senators to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell as their leader in January. Thune, currently the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, was selected in a closed-door vote over Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott. At 63, Thune is seen as a skilled communicator and campaigner, having raised over $31 million this cycle for Senate Republicans.
Thune’s past criticism of Donald Trump over the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol attack once strained their relationship, but they now have a professional rapport, with Thune visiting Trump in Florida and speaking frequently.
McConnell, who announced in February he’d step down in 2025, is the longest-serving Senate party leader. His decision followed two health episodes, though he insists it wasn’t health-related. McConnell’s relationship with Trump soured after he refused to endorse Trump’s election fraud claims in 2020, straining ties with pro-Trump senators.
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