Thune wins secret ballot to become new Senate GOP leader, succeeding McConnell

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Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., will be the new Republican Senate leader and the majority leader of the upper chamber in the new Congress. 

In January, he will succeed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. 

"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 in a statement. "This Republican team is united behind President Trump's agenda, and our work starts today."

Sources told Fox News Digital that no candidate reached a majority during the first secret ballot in the old Senate chamber on Wednesday morning. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., received the least amount of votes and was knocked out of the race. The second secret ballot was between only Thune and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

"I am excited to work with this team and get to work right away," Thune told reporters shortly after his win.

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From left: Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas; John Thune, R-S.D., and Rick Scott, R-Fla. (Reuters)

Thune received 29 votes and Cornyn got 24 on the second ballot, according to Thune’s office.

Each of the candidates made a final pitch to their fellow Republican senators late Tuesday night during a forum held by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

Joining Thune in leadership are Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., as assistant majority leader; Tom Cotton, R-Ark., as Republican conference chair; Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., as Republican Policy Committee chair; James Lankford, R-Okla., as Republican conference vice chair; and Tim Scott, R-S.C., as National Republican Senatorial Committee chair.

Scott walked out of the meeting with two new public endorsements from both Lee and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. A source familiar told Fox News Digital that Blackburn had asked multiple questions during the discussion, including "how they would give conservatives a more meaningful voice in the Senate and for specific details as to how they would immediately implement President Trump’s mass deportation operation."

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., backed Scott after the forum. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

Despite this, one source with knowledge told Fox News Digital that Scott's pitch didn't convince everyone. "Scott’s remarks didn’t do much to impress or sway members," they said. "He focused more on his time as a businessman instead of priorities for the Senate."

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Scott has received a number of high-profile endorsements from external figures. (Reuters)

Prior to the elections, Thune had received public endorsements from Sens. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.; Mike Rounds, R-S.D.; Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; and John Hoeven, R-N.D., and a source confirmed to Fox News Digital that National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont., was privately encouraging other senators to support Thune. 

Scott had the most public support, with Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also backing him. 

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The new leader will succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Cornyn had only received one public endorsement from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.

The majority of GOP senators did not disclose ahead of time who they were casting their ballots for.

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Rubio and Hagerty gave the two nominating speeches for Scott, while Daines and Rounds did so for Thune. It's unclear who gave nominating speeches for Cornyn. 

The new leader will assume the role in January.