Senate GOP selects Thune, House GOP keeps Johnson
John Thune will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader, and Mike Johnson will remain House speaker in Congress


What happened
Republicans Wednesday elected Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) to be their leader in the upper chamber, making him the next Senate majority leader in January. Thune, 63, will replace Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the longest-serving Senate leader, after beating Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in a secret ballot. House Republicans voted to keep Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) as House speaker in the next Congress.
Who said what
Thune pledged to work closely with President-elect Donald Trump to enact his agenda, though "the two men have not always seen eye to eye," said NBC News. Thune was among the few Republicans who "rejected Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him," leading to a rift the incoming Senate leader spent the past few months working to mend. Scott's candidacy had been "championed in recent days by several prominent Trump allies," CNN said, but the secret ballot gave cover to "Republicans wary of offending Trump's most ardent supporters."
Mike Johnson's victory was eased by Trump's endorsement and a deal between the hard-right Freedom Caucus and the "more mainstream conservative Main Street Caucus" that notably raised the bar for toppling a speaker, The Associated Press said. But the "outcome belies a more difficult road ahead for the speaker." Johnson's "true test is a formal vote on the House floor in January, where he'll have almost no room for error" in the closely divided chamber, Politico said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Thune — elevated to majority leader 20 years after he unseated Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) — said his initial priorities will be border security, energy policy and "overturning costly Biden-Harris regulations."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
With Dick Durbin’s retirement, where do Democrats go from here?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The number two Senate Democrat's pending departure is a pivotal moment for a party looking for leadership in the second Trump administration
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
6 peaceful homes in farm country
Feature Featuring a two-story solarium in California and a three-season screened porch in Wisconsin
By The Week US
-
5 'slow TV' shows for overstimulated kids
The Week Recommends In an era of fast-paced content and short attention spans, the slow TV movement can be a boon to parents
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
With Dick Durbin's retirement, where do Democrats go from here?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The number two Senate Democrat's pending departure is a pivotal moment for a party looking for leadership in the second Trump administration
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Nayib Bukele: the Salvadoran ally in Trump's deportation machine
In the Spotlight El Salvador's popular strongman rose to power promising to make his country safe
By David Faris
-
A dozen states sue Trump to halt tariffs
Speed Read The states sued in the US Court of International Trade, seeking to stop tariffs they say will damage their economies
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump blames Zelenskyy for peace deal setbacks
Speed Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the US proposal, which includes Russia's takeover of Crimea
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
How the woke right gained power in the US
Under the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
A running list of RFK Jr.'s controversies
In Depth The man atop the Department of Health and Human Services has had no shortage of scandals over the years
By Brigid Kennedy
-
Musk vows DOGE pullback as Tesla profits plunge
Speed Read The Tesla SEO says he will soon step back from government matters to devote more time to the company
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
IMF sees slump from tariffs, Trump tries to calm markets
Speed Read The International Monetary Fund predicts the U.S. and global economies will slow significantly due to the president's trade war
By Peter Weber, The Week US