Thune to Seek Senate GOP Leader Post After Midterm Losses

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota plans to run for another term as the top Senate Republican, now as minority leader, after his party lost control of the Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, the Washington Examiner reported on Wednesday, citing a source close to the senator.

Thune is so far unopposed, according to the report. His decision contrasts with that of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who said on Wednesday that he would not run for the top Republican post in the House in the next Congress, according to the Associated Press, NBC News and CBS News.

A difficult night for Senate Republicans

Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats in at least seven states, including Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina, according to the AP. Races in Alaska and Mississippi remain too close to call, and Democrats could add one or both.

Thune had said before the election that he would seek the leadership post regardless of which party held the majority, according to the Washington Examiner. Some critics had suggested that a poor result could prompt a challenge, but he is widely viewed as secure in the role.

In a social media post on Tuesday night, Thune said Senate Republicans “will not stand idly by” as Democrats try to reverse the party’s accomplishments, the Examiner reported.

Lingering complaints

Thune has faced criticism from some Republicans that the party should have done more to address the cost of living, according to the Examiner. Conservatives were also frustrated that Senate Republicans did not pass the SAVE America Act, an elections bill backed by President Donald Trump.

After the election, many Republicans pointed to Trump’s tariffs and the war with Iran as factors in the losses, the Examiner reported. Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the war was the main reason the party lost.

House leadership races

Republicans in both chambers are expected to choose their leaders in closed-door elections next week, when Congress returns for its lame-duck session. In the House, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio are seeking to lead Republicans in the minority, according to the Examiner and other outlets. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota faces a challenge from Rep. August Pfluger of Texas, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

On the Democratic side, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is set to become majority leader in January, and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is in line to become speaker.

The lame-duck agenda

Until the new Congress is sworn in, Republicans keep their Senate majority. Earlier this year, Bloomberg Law reported that Republicans had accelerated confirmations of Trump’s judicial nominees ahead of the midterms and that nominees still in the pipeline would fall into the post-election session.

That session could be complicated by attendance problems among departing senators and competing priorities, Bloomberg Law reported, but the loss of the majority adds pressure on Republicans to confirm as many nominees as possible before January. Government funding and other year-end legislation are also expected to compete for floor time.

Once Democrats take control, Trump’s future nominees for the courts and his Cabinet will need to win support from a Democratic-led Senate, which could make confirmations considerably harder.

How we reported this

This report is based on information confirmed by the Associated Press or by at least two major news organizations, as noted in the text. Figures from early or partial counts are identified as such and may change. BURN VOC will update this story as new information is released.