One of the big questions coming out of the election — and the GOP’s retaking the majority in the Senate — was who would secure the Majority Leader position for the 119th Congress, given that current Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had announced he would be stepping down from his leadership role. The field of potential contenders had been narrowed to three: John Cornyn (R-TX), Rick Scott (R-FL), and John Thune (R-SD).
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On Wednesday, the Senate GOP conference convened and, on a second (secret) ballot, gave the nod to Thune.
Thune wins Senate leadership race 29-24 over Cornyn
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) November 13, 2024
BREAKING: Republicans Elect New Senate Majority Leader
Trump Speaks Out on Senate Majority Leader Race, Outlines One Key Demand
On Thursday, Thune took to the Senate floor and laid out his agenda and leadership philosophy for the next session of Congress.
I believe that America’s best days lie ahead.
As Senate majority leader, I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and with President Trump and Vice President Vance to build a strong and prosperous America and a bright new dawn for the American people. pic.twitter.com/0Nx6Tlfi7g
— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) November 14, 2024
Some highlights from Thune’s remarks:
“Last Tuesday, the American people spoke, and they spoke decisively. They made it clear that they’ve had enough of the failed Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda, and they chose President Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Vance to lead our country, along with Republican majorities in the House and Senate…The Republican coalition is broad and strong — and growing.
…
“The American people handed President Trump and Senate Republicans a decisive victory. And now the real work begins: delivering on our agenda. That starts with ending the Biden-Harris border crisis and deporting illegal immigrants.
“Also at the top of the list is strengthening our economic and fiscal future. The last four years of Democrat inflation have been very difficult for working Americans. And so Republicans will be focused on doing everything we can to expand economic opportunity and to increase growth. That starts with taking action via reconciliation to preserve the tax relief Republicans delivered for Americans during the…first Trump administration.
“It’s also time to check the bureaucratic machine here in Washington, D.C. A key element of making America prosperous again is taking a hatchet to the regulatory apparatus choking our economy, starting with the one thousand Biden-Harris regulations that have already cost Americans nearly 2 trillion dollars.
“And, of course, a major focus of both the Trump administration and the Republican Congress will be restoring American strength to promote peace at home and abroad. That includes restoring American energy dominance for the sake of both economic growth and our national security.”
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Thune also made a point to differentiate his leadership style from his predecessor’s.
“The Leader’s office will be a resource, not a roadblock, for members seeking to achieve their legislative goals. And that starts with empowering committees, which will, in turn, ensure that individual members at all levels of seniority have a real voice in the legislation that we consider. As whip, I have consistently advocated for our members’ amendments, resulting in over a hundred amendment votes this Congress. In the majority, we can do better, and I will continue my commitment to amendments as leader.
“The committee process is key to developing strong legislation, but all members of the Senate, and not just the members of a particular committee, should have a voice in final legislation through amendments on the floor. Members should assume that amendment votes will be the norm. That’ll mean taking tough votes at times, but that, folks, is part of our jobs.
“Members should also expect a return to regular order in the Senate next year. I will devote serious time in the summer to floor consideration of appropriations bills so that we don’t constantly wind up with an end-of-year pile-up and problematic continuing resolutions.”
Without addressing any particular nominations, Thune also reiterated his commitment to moving swiftly on confirming Trump’s nominees, warning that “Members should expect an aggressive schedule until those nominees are confirmed.” He also emphasized his commitment to improving upon communication so that members and staff remain appropriately informed and aren’t left “wondering what’s coming next.”
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Thune closed out by again congratulating Trump and Vance on their win and explaining that he was drawn into politics by Ronald Reagan, noting, “His philosophy of limited government and peace through strength resonated with me. But I was also drawn by his sense of humor, his optimism, and his belief in America.” He then tied that outlook to what he suspects drew a lot of Americans to President Trump, noting that he “conveys a lot of that optimism and faith in our country.”
I remain in the wait-and-see camp on Thune. But I do like what he’s outlined here. Now, let’s see how well he follows through.
