Senate Republicans did not stage a major leadership shake-up after their bruising midterm losses, despite calls from some lawmakers to reconsider the party’s direction. John Thune of South Dakota won another term as majority leader in a closed-door vote, as Republicans discussed their final weeks in power and what comes next.
Thune and most of his leadership team, now including Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, were elected after an effort to postpone the votes failed. The meeting lasted more than seven hours, though no one ultimately challenged the lawmakers seeking leadership posts.
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin led the push to delay the elections. He left after senators voted 31-15 to proceed with the scheduled vote. Johnson and other Republicans wanted time to examine the midterm results and hear what leadership candidates planned to do with the party’s remaining time in power.
Johnson said his objection was not aimed at Thune, whom he felt had been treated unfairly by some Republicans. Rather, he argued that lawmakers should have had a chance to consider alternatives before electing the leadership team.
Thune said earlier in the week that he intended to run, though he could not be certain he had enough support until the vote. Johnson said the scale of the defeat made a return to business as usual unacceptable. Asked whether he would consider running himself, he questioned whether anyone would want the job, and said the party first needed a clear strategy.
Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who has run for leader twice, including against Thune, also called for change but did not enter the race. He said Republicans needed to recognize that voters were unhappy and start listening to them.
Scott pushed for firm commitments on the party’s priorities. His list included moving judicial nominees forward, funding the government without a large omnibus bill, banning stock trades by lawmakers, changing permitting rules, passing the National Defense Authorization Act, revisiting the SAVE America Act and balancing the budget, potentially through budget reconciliation.
Sens. Ted Budd of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Jim Banks of Indiana and Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania joined Johnson and Scott in seeking a delay. Their effort failed, and the proposed challenge to the leadership team lost momentum as senators cast secret ballots.
Other Republicans also called for a closer look at the party’s record over the past two years, following a major win for Senate Democrats. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri argued that some policies Republicans had counted as achievements may have alienated voters.
Hawley pointed to cuts to Medicaid and rural hospital funding alongside support for data centers and Planned Parenthood. He also criticized the party for failing to address rising health care costs and other affordability concerns, including the cost of fertilizer and gas. Voters, he said, were not pleased with that mix of priorities.
