Senate Republicans Reelect John Thune as Leader After Midterm Defeat
South Dakota senator retains top post after party loses majority, despite calls for internal review.
By Ivan Dvorak ·
Senate Republicans lost their majority in the recent midterm elections, but they kept their leader on Tuesday.
South Dakota Senator John Thune was reelected as the Republican whip in a secret ballot vote. The party suffered steep losses, losing at least seven seats in the chamber.
Thune was the only candidate for the position. However, the vote was not automatic. Senators held three separate private meetings to discuss their losses and their future direction. The sessions took place in the Old Senate Chamber with few aides present.
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson led an effort to delay the leadership vote. He argued that the party needed time to analyze the results. The conference voted 31 to 15 to proceed with the election. Johnson walked out of the room when his proposal failed.
West Virginia Senator Jim Justice spoke during the debate about the party's performance. He stated that the leadership did not cause the election results. Justice said the current leaders do a good job. He also noted that the party lost as badly as it did, which raised questions about continuing with the same leadership.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, who voted to delay the vote, told reporters that the party needs to think through its next steps. Hawley said rushing to ratify the same leadership sends a specific message to voters. He questioned what the message would be if the party did not change course after losing seven Senate seats. He added that he was not aware of any other candidates for the role.
Florida Senator Rick Scott said the group needs a plan to finish the Republican agenda. The party aims to pass war spending and other priorities before Democrats take control of the Senate in January. Oklahoma Senator Jim Lankford described Thune as having widespread support. Lankford said Thune listens to different viewpoints before making major decisions. This approach differs from his predecessor, Mitch McConnell.
Thune has navigated his relationship with President Donald Trump for the last two years. Trump hosted Thune and his family at the White House in October. The president called Thune a very fine man on Monday. Trump said the decision on leadership is up to the Senate. Thune told reporters on Monday that the election was a tough night. He said Republicans will work with Democrats but that the American people do not want socialist government.
