Republicans pick Thune over Trump loyalist as Senate majority leader

Senator John Thune of South Dakota hit Trump’s loyalist Rick Scott to lead nan Republican-controlled Senate.

Republicans successful nan United States Senate picked seasoned John Thune to beryllium nan chamber’s caller leader, arsenic lawmakers, scrambling to hole for President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, rejected his camp’s favoured candidate.

Thune, who already holds a much inferior activity position, hit Texas Senator John Cornyn successful a run-off ballot to switch outgoing statement leader Mitch McConnell. He had earlier won retired against Florida’s Rick Scott, a hardline blimpish and Trump loyalist.

The South Dakota legislator is viewed arsenic a well-regarded insider. His triumph comes connected nan heels of a nationalist unit run by supporters of nan incoming president to prime Scott, who mislaid successful nan first information pinch only 13 votes.

Thune’s triumph successful a three-way title is simply a motion nan Senate could clasp immoderate grade of independency from Trump adjacent year. Scott was backed by influential outsiders for illustration billionaire Elon Musk and blimpish commentator Sean Hannity. That made nan usually clubby predetermination an early trial of Senate subservience nether Trump, who did not endorse a candidate.

The ballot came moments aft Trump met President Joe Biden for a accepted courtesy telephone betwixt nan incoming and outcoming occupants of nan White House.

Republicans will clasp astatine slightest 52 seats successful nan 100-seat Senate and are connected way to clasp their mostly successful nan House of Representatives, wherever respective races person yet to beryllium called.

Not Trump’s favourite

Thune, 63, is seen arsenic an even-tempered institutionalist and seasoned legislator who has adjacent relationships pinch galore of his chap Republicans. He has been successful nan Senate since 2005 and will win 82-year-old Mitch McConnell, nan longest-serving statement leader successful Senate history.

“He was successful immoderate ways nan earthy prime of nan constitution Republican Party,” said Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi, reporting from Capitol Hill. “You could look astatine this and say, ‘Well, look, that’s a spot of independency being asserted by nan Senate.'”

Both Thune and Cornyn professed their fealty to Trump, Rattansi noted.

“So, successful nan end, you know, Trump has astatine slightest nan stated loyalty of John Thune,” he said. “Still, there’s small rumblings. Even though nan Republicans person nan presidency, nan Senate, and nan House, nan trifecta, it whitethorn not beryllium arsenic soft sailing arsenic possibly nan celebratory aerial of Donald Trump successful Washington is suggesting.”

Some of Trump’s loudest supporters had expressed interest that Thune and Cornyn, who had some worked intimately pinch McConnell, mightiness deficiency nan willingness to present connected immoderate of Trump’s run promises. Both person served for 2 decades and delivered awesome authorities and helped elite different Republicans.

“Without Rick Scott, nan full Trump betterment schedule wobbly,” Trump advisor Robert F Kennedy Jr said successful a station connected X earlier nan vote.

Senate Republicans resisted that pressure. The occupation of mostly leader, they said, requires personification who has spent clip building spot and support wrong nan caucus.

“I don’t deliberation it’s worthy nan president utilizing nan governmental superior that he has to measurement successful connected nan race,” said Senator Markwayne Mullin, a Thune supporter.