John Thune is the new Senate majority leader
Thune will succeed veteran Mitch McConnell who shared a difficult relationship with Donald Trump announced his decision not to seek office earlier this year.
Washington: John Thune is the new Senate majority leader, after defeating two Republicans in the leadership race, John Cornyn and Rick Scott, the last being the favourite of the Donald Trump ecosystem.
Thune will succeed the veteran Mitch McConnell who shared a difficult relationship with Donald Trump announced his decision not to seek office earlier this year.
A Senator from South Dakota, Thune is seen as a part of the older somewhat more moderate Republican establishment but has developed a relationship with Trump in recent months.
Thune made it clear to the Republican conference that he will support the incoming administration’s agenda and appointments.
While Trump’s supporters had backed Scott, Trump himself had kept away from publicly endorsing the Florida senator who was his closet ideological ally in the race due to the possibility that Scott may not win.
The outcome, however, is the first partial setback for Trump’s Make America Great Again movement and a sign that Senate Republicans will exercise a degree of autonomy.