W hen Republican members of the Senate gathered in Washington this week to name their leadership to run the chamber next year, there were some preliminary rumblings about the need

Senate Republicans have elected their colleague from South Dakota, John Thune, as their new leader in the chamber. The 63-year-old won a secret ballot on Wednesday, defeating Florida Senator Rick Scott and Texan Senator John Cornyn.

Senate Republicans will meet behind closed doors to elect a new leader, capping a battle that has divided the party and pitted a candidate backed by vocal MAGA allies of President-elect Donald Trump against two long-serving senators with institutional knowledge and deep relationships in the body.

Senate Republicans elected John Thune of South Dakota to serve as their next majority leader in the second round of private voting Wednesday, rejecting the social-media fueled populist push for Senator Rick Scott (R.

Thune beat out Florida Senator Rick Scott, a favorite of allies of Trump’s such as Elon Musk, and Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who previously held the job of whip. First elected in 2004, Thune beat former majority leader Thom Daschle.

The Republicans in the Senate picked John Thune as the chamber's new leader as lawmakers scramble to prepare for Trump's new administration.

The Republicans in the US Senate picked John Thune as the chamber's new leader Wednesday as lawmakers scrambling to prepare for President-elect Donald Trump's new administration rejected his camp's favored candidate.