U.S. Senate leadership elections, 2025

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U.S. Senate leadership elections

See also

U.S. House leadership elections, 2025 Democratic and Republican Party committee leadership elections, 2025 United States Senate elections, 2024

This page covers U.S. Senate leadership elections for the 119th Congress. Each party elects leadership responsible for leading the party's conference, setting legislative agendas, and marshaling support for bills, among other duties.

Leadership positions are elected in meetings of the conference prior to the start of a new Congress.

The 119th Congress will convene on January 3, 2025.

Democratic leadership

As of October 24, 2024, Democrats had not scheduled their leadership elections for the 119th Congress. Ahead of the 118th Congress, Democratic leadership elections took place on December 8, 2022.

Republican leadership

Republican leadership elections for the 119th Congress took place on November 13, 2024.

The following senators were elected to leadership positions in the 119th Congress:

• John Thune (R-S.D.), majority leader: Thune was elected, defeating Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). Incumbent Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) did not seek re-election. Click here to read more about this election.

• John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), majority whip: Barrasso was elected without opposition.

• Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Republican Conference chairman: Cotton was elected, defeating Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). Click here to read more about this election.

• Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Republican Policy Committee chairwoman: Capito was elected without opposition.

• Tim Scott, National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman: Scott was elected without opposition.

Majority leader election

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) was elected majority leader on November 13, defeating Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). Thune defeated Cornyn 29-24 on the second ballot. Scott was eliminated on the first ballot, receiving 13 votes to Thune's 23 and Cornyn's 15.

In February 2024, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has served as the Republican U.S. Senate leader since 2007, announced he would not seek re-election to the position in the 119th Congress. In a statement McConnell said, "If you would have told me forty years later that I would stand before you as the longest serving Senate leader in history - I would have thought you’d lost your mind. I have the honor of representing Kentucky in the Senate longer than anyone else in our history. I just never could have imagined that happening when I arrived here in 1984. I am filled with heartfelt gratitude and humility for the opportunity. But now it’s 2024. As I said, I am now 82. [...] So, I stand before you today, Mr. President and my colleagues, to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate."

Cornyn announced his candidacy on February 29, 2024, saying, "Throughout my time I’ve built a track record of listening to colleagues and seeking consensus, while leading the fight to stop bad policies that are harmful to our nation and the conservative cause." Cornyn served as Republican Senate whip from 2013 to 2019. Thune announced his candidacy on March 4, 2024, saying, "as we look at a new generation of consistent, principled, conservative leadership in the United States Senate that empowers our Senate Republicans, that puts a check and [balance] against [...] a very liberal Schumer/Biden agenda, I’m prepared to lead that effort." Thune served as the Republican Senate whip from 2019 to 2023. Scott announced his candidacy on May 22, 2024. In a letter to Senate Republicans, Scott said, "I have decided to run for Senate Republican leader because I believe now is a moment we need dramatic change. I believe that our voters want us to use this leadership election to make a choice to upend the status quo in Washington." Scott rain against McConnell for minority leader ahead of the 118th Congress in 2022. He was defeated 37-10 with one senator not voting.

One senator (John Hawley (R-Mo.)) publicly endorsed Cornyn for the position, four senators (Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)) publicly endorsed Thune, and eight senators (Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tommy Tuberville (R-N.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas)) publicly endorsed Scott.

Donald Trump (R), the projected winner of the 2024 presidential election, did not endorse a candidate. In a post on Truth Social, he said, "Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner. [...] Additionally, no Judges should be approved during this period of time because the Democrats are looking to ram through their Judges as the Republicans fight over Leadership."

Republican Conference chair

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) defeated Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) 35-18 in the race for conference chair on November 13, 2024. Incumbent Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) ran for majority whip and did not seek re-election.

Cotton announced his candidacy on March 5, 2024. In an interview with Hugh Hewitt, Cotton said, "I want to serve in whatever role can best help my Republican senator colleagues and President Trump achieve our shared goals. Right now, I’ve had several colleagues encourage me to run for conference chair, which is the No. 3 position, dedicated to ensuring that we are advocating for conservative ideas and promoting the conservative message across the country."

Ernst announced her candidacy on March 10, 2024. In an interview with Politico, Ernst said, "Republicans want to see someone that doesn’t just get told how to vote, but someone that can be an independent thinker and provide a voice to reason and to truth […] I’m ready to take that on."

Previous leadership in Congress

Heading into the 2025 leadership elections, the following U.S. senators held leadership positions:

• Chuck Schumer (D), majority leader
• Dick Durbin (D), majority whip
• Debbie Stabenow (D), Democratic Policy and Communications Committee chairwoman
• Mitch McConnell (R), minority leader
• John Thune (R), minority whip
• John Barrasso (R), Republican Conference chairman
• Joni Ernst (R), Republican Policy Committee chairwoman

Duties of U.S. Senate leadership

The following brief descriptions of the duties of U.S. Senate leadership come from the official website of the United States Senate:

• Majority/minority leaders: Represents their party's positions, coordinates legislative strategies, and supervises floor action.

• Party whips: Serve as assistant leaders and round up party members for votes and quorum calls.

• Policy Committee chairs: Leads the committee responsible for setting legislative goals and scheduling floor actions.

• Republican Conference chair: Assists the party leader in their duties.

See also

• United States Congress elections, 2024
• United States Senate elections, 2024
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2024
• 119th United States Congress
• United States Congress
• United States Senate
• United States House of Representatives