Texas Senator John Cornyn loses bid for Republican leader. Who won secret vote?
Texas Sen. John Cornyn will not be the Senate’s next Republican Leader.
Reports from Washington have Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, who serves as Senate Republican whip, winning the leadership role after two rounds of voting by secret ballot. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who had earned the support of several allies of President Donald Trump, was reportedly eliminated during the first round of voting.
Thune will succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who earlier announced he was stepping down from the post. He will oversee a Senate led by a Republican majority following the Nov. 5 election, when Republicans secured control of the chamber.
The vote was split in favor of Thune 29-24.
“Congratulations to my colleagues who will be leading the Senate Republican Conference next Congress, and thank you to those who supported me,” Cornyn said in a Wednesday, Nov. 3 statement. “We are united and prepared to enact President Trump’s agenda on day one, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to take advantage of the opportunities we will have next year to confirm nominees, address our national debt, extend the Trump tax cuts, and reverse the Biden-Harris administration’s disastrous border policies.”
Cornyn took office in 2003. He is one of two senators Texans elect statewide to serve six-year terms.
He is a member of the Finance Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Intelligence Select Committee, and previously served as Republican Whip from 2013 to 2019. Before heading to Washington, he was a district judge, a Texas Supreme Court Justice and Texas attorney general.
Cornyn made headlines and garnered some opposition from fellow Republicans as a leader in the passage of bipartisan gun safety legislation following the May 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
Sen. Ted Cruz, who recently won his reelection bid, posted on social media on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 13, that he planned to vote for Scott over his fellow Texan, Cornyn.
It was not immediately clear who Cruz supported in the second round of voting. Spokespersons for Cruz did not immediately return requests for comment.
“This morning, I’ll be voting for Rick Scott for GOP Leader, as I did two years ago. In 2022, I helped lead the charge for Rick against McConnell & I’m proud to stand with him again,” Cruz said on X. “For 12 yrs, I’ve been unequivocal that we need to change GOP Leadership—and now we finally will.”
Several local Republican Party leaders had also expressed support for Scott over Cornyn.
NBC News reports that during the first round of voting Thune received 23 votes, Cornyn received 15 and Scott 13.
As the next Senate majority leader, Thune’s responsibilities will include scheduling floor business. He emphasized unity with the Trump administration in a statement following the vote.
“I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House,” Thune said. “This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today.”
The new session of Congress starts Jan. 3.
“While it isn’t the result we hoped for, I will do everything possible to make sure John Thune is successful in accomplishing President Trump’s agenda,” Scott said in a statement. “I would also like to thank John Cornyn for running a great race.”
McConnell has served as Republican leader since 2007 and was majority leader from 2015 to 2021, while Republicans controlled the U.S. Senate. He is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
Texas GOP Chairman Abraham George congratulated Thunes on social media, but it came with a caveat.
“However, I honestly believe the American people were stabbed by the establishment today,” George said on X. “I hope he understands that he has a lot to prove by pushing the America First agenda through the Senate without hindrance. Time to deliver on our promises”
George did not specify which candidate he supported in the post.
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 11:22 AM.
