Senate Republicans voted on Wednesday to nominate John Thune as the new Republican leader, succeeding Mitch McConnell, who has held the office for 17 years.
In doing so, they chose against selecting Trump friend Sen. Rick Scott.
Thune, the current Republican whip, was up against Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas senator and former Republican whip, and Scott, a Florida Republican who was recently reelected to his second term.
Thune stated that he was “extremely honored” and that the “Republican team was united behind President Trump’s agenda.”
Scott was ousted after the first round of secret ballot voting, and Thune was elected with a 29-24 margin in the final round.
Scott has been on TV news sites in recent days, touting support from a number of Trump-aligned outside luminaries, including Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He attempted to promote himself as the most Trump-aligned candidate.
However, Trump did not back Scott or any other candidate in the leadership battle, instead insisting that whoever is elected will support his use of recess appointments, which would allow him to fill federal positions without the Senate’s permission.
All three contenders indicated a readiness to adopt this method to quickly complete Trump’s Cabinet.
According to ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl, Trump declined to back Scott because he did not believe he could win.
Before the vote, Republicans convened behind closed doors for more than two hours Tuesday evening to hear arguments from Thune, Cornyn, and Scott, as well as those senators seeking for lower-ballot leadership posts. Any other contender who wanted to put their name in the running for party leadership might have done so during the meeting.
Senators present described it as “energetic” but not a debate.
When the meeting ended, Thune told reporters that Tuesday night was the conference’s time to hear from the contenders.
When queried about the whip count, Thune remained ambiguous.
“You never know until the voters vote,” Thune explained.
Cornyn quietly exited the meeting, saying, “I’ll make my pitch to my colleagues, not to you.”
Even before the Tuesday meeting, the candidates were preparing their closing arguments and asserting their commitment to Trump, whose influence may undoubtedly change the outcome of the race.
Cornyn addressed a letter to colleagues on Tuesday that was acquired by ABC News, in which he again emphasized his support for Trump’s agenda and confirmation of his Cabinet nominees.
“It’s imperative that Republicans hit the ground running to implement President Donald Trump’s agenda for the American people,” Cornyn said in the letter, highlighting GOP victories in the House, Senate, and White House.
And Thune, who may have had the iciest relationship with Trump among the contenders, has made it plain that he has been in constant touch with Trump’s staff and has publicly supported Trump suggestions, including prospective changes to Senate operating procedures.
