John Thune Elected Senate Majority Leader, Johnson Returns as Speaker

Senator John Thune (R-SD) was elected majority leader, replacing retiring Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who has held the top Senate GOP leadership job for the past 18 years. 

• Thune is known as a congenial and approachable member and a Senate institutionalist. He recently announced that he will retain the Senate filibuster. As President, Trump had urged Senator McConnell to alter the filibuster rules to pass the President’s priorities. 

• Early priorities as leader will include confirmation of President-elect Trump’s nominees and facilitating the Republican legislative agenda. Thune has also supported extending telehealth flexibilities and the 2017 tax cuts, making these issues potential near-term priorities. 

• On other workplace-related issues, he has supported legislation reviving industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs), and opposed the PRO Act, broad legislation designed to increase unionization.

The House majority will remain in Republican hands completing a rare electoral trifecta. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-4) will retain his gavel come January, allowing a unique opportunity to align agendas.

Why it matters: As majority leader, Senator Thune will have broad authority to control the Senate’s agenda and, working with Speaker Johnson, a chance to move more quickly on Republican priorities. Importantly, Senator Thune has said that the filibuster will remain in place which will mean some Republican-favored bills will be unable to pass the Senate without Democratic support.