Senate Republicans to vote on Thune's leadership next week
GOP senators face a secret ballot for leadership on Tuesday, with some members urging a delay to discuss election losses.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
Senate Republicans will hold a secret ballot on Tuesday to decide whether to keep John Thune as their leader. The vote comes one week after the midterm elections, in which the party lost its majority and at least seven seats.
Thune, the senator from South Dakota, is expected to win the vote. He faces no opponent and maintains strong support among his colleagues. However, several Republicans who returned to Washington on Monday argue that the party should wait to elect its leaders.
Ron Johnson, a senator from Wisconsin, circulated a letter asking for a delay in the closed-door elections. Johnson told reporters, “We need to have some real soul-searching.” He added, “We can't just continue on business as usual, that kind of defeat demands change.”
The party is still determining the final seat count for the new Congress. Two Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi remain uncalled. If Republicans lose both, their numbers will shrink further. Mike Lee, a senator from Utah, signed Johnson's letter and suggested the leadership contest should wait until those races are decided.
Thune took the role in early 2025 after replacing Mitch McConnell. He has focused on building relationships with the rank and file while managing differences with President Donald Trump. Trump praised Thune on Monday, calling him “a very fine man” and noting that the election outcome is “up to the Senate.”
Despite the push for a delay, Thune said the leadership is moving ahead with the election process. He stated that senators will have a “very fulsome, robust conversation about where we go from here.” He noted that the final decision rests with the Republican caucus.
Jim Lankford, a senator from Oklahoma, supports holding the election on Tuesday. He said Thune has “widespread support” and that many new members are already in town for freshman orientation. Lankford described the leadership role as “a pretty complicated role to be able to manage.”
While Republicans debate their future, Democrats are also discussing leadership. Chuck Schumer, who has led the party for 12 years, faces questions about whether he should continue in the role. Kirsten Gillibrand, a senator from New York, predicted Schumer will win enough support to stay on.
