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By Mandy Taheri
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South Dakota Senator John Thune says that Republicans are "united" behind President-elect Donald Trump's policies and agenda, in a statement following his election as Senate majority leader on Wednesday.
Thune, who has been serving as minority whip, beat out Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida on Wednesday. Thune's victory sparked backlash from some Trump supporters given his past criticism of the president-elect, most of whom preferred Scott to take the seat. Scott was endorsed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who will serve as co-leader of a new government efficiency department under Trump.
The final vote between Thune and Cornyn was 29-24. In the first round of voting, Thune received 25 to 15 for Cornyn and 13 for Scott, according to The Hill, eliminating Scott.
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In a post on X, formerly Twitter, early Wednesday afternoon Thune wrote that he's "extremely honored" to have received his colleagues' support for the leadership post. He also tried to assuage some concerns that he wasn't in Trump's corner.
"I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House," he wrote. "This Republican team is united behind President Trump's agenda, and our work starts today."
Newsweek has reached out to Thune's press team for comment via email on Wednesday.
In a press conference shortly after the vote, Thune said that "we have a mandate from the American people. A mandate not only to clean up the mess left by the Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda, but also to deliver on President Trump's priorities.
"We will make sure that the president and his team have the tools that they need to enforce border security laws" as well as work to "make America prosperous again, by streamlining the bureaucratic machine and overturning costly Biden-Harris regulations" and "work to restore American energy dominance."
He promised "to be a leader who serves the entire Republican conference."
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On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly promised that if elected he would oversee mass deportations and economic reforms, including imposing tariffs.
The Senate will shift to Republican control in January, following last week's election, in which the GOP secured at least 52 seats. Democrats will hold at least 47 seats in the next Senate session, losing the narrow majority they currently have.
On Wednesday, senators voted to replace Kentucky's Mitch McConnell, who has been the longest-serving Senate party leader. McConnell announced earlier this year he would be retiring from GOP leadership at the end of the year, ending nearly two decades in the role.
Thune previously criticized Trump as a candidate and president. In October 2016, when he called on the then-presidential nominee to "withdraw" from the race, urging that "Mike Pence should be our nominee effective immediately." Pence served as vice president during Trump's first presidency.
The senator previously described Trump's actions "to undermine faith in our election system and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power" as "inexcusable," referring to the 2020 election and subsequent January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Trump refused to accept his 2020 loss and repeatedly claimed, without substantial evidence, that the election was stolen.
However, earlier this year, Thune endorsed Trump's presidential run.
Thune has served in the Senate since 2005, when he defeated then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat.
Thune will assume the leadership role in January when the new Congress convenes. Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, 2025.
Update 11/13/24, 2:45 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include Thune's press conference comments.
Update 11/13/24 1:44 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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