In a move that could shift Senate dynamics, South Dakota’s John Thune has been elected as Senate Majority Leader, marking a setback for MAGA-aligned conservatives.
Thune, a long-time ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and known for his “Never-Trump” stance, secured the top spot in a closed-door vote among GOP senators.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram was first to report on Thune’s victory, which saw him competing against Texas’ John Cornyn and Florida’s Rick Scott. The final ballot revealed Thune winning with 29 votes, Cornyn closely trailing with 24. Since voting was conducted by secret ballot, individual votes remain undisclosed.
Rick Scott, an advocate for a stronger MAGA presence in Senate leadership, was eliminated in the first round with just 13 votes.
Thune’s election deals a blow to MAGA supporters who had hoped for a stronger departure from McConnell’s influence and a pivot away from anti-Trump sentiment. Thune, a staunch neoconservative, publicly clashed with Trump in 2016, calling on him to step down from the presidential race following the release of the Access Hollywood tape and suggesting that then-Vice President Mike Pence should replace him. Many MAGA conservatives see Thune’s election as a reinforcement of establishment control rather than a step toward the populist wave they’ve been advocating.
The election results underscore the division within the GOP, leaving the MAGA movement questioning the direction of Senate leadership under Thune’s watch.
