Senate Republicans have elected South Dakota’s John Thune as the next Senate majority leader after rejecting public overtures from allies of President-elect Donald Trump who backed a different candidate.
Reports are that Thune won in a secret-ballot vote of 29-24, beating out opposing candidates John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida. The 63-year-old Thune will succeed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has led his chamber’s Republicans since 2007 and is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
South Dakota Farmers Union President, Doug Sombke, says that Thune’s rise to Majority Leader is good news for U.S. agriculture. “Senator Thune understands the importance of agriculture to our state and America,” says Sombke. “He has always been a great advocate for agriculture and rural communities. We are hopeful, with his leadership, the Farm Bill family farmers and ranchers need will finally get passed.”
At the Public Lands Council (PLC), Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover said in a statement that “ranchers across the West have something to celebrate with Senator Thune, a champion of livestock production and rural communities, being selected by his peers to be Senate Majority Leader. His work protecting grazing rights on public lands and streamlining the federal permitting process is in lockstep with the needs of livestock producers – who are in dire need of regulatory relief. Ranchers stand ready to work with the soon-to-be Majority Leader to finally reduce the prevalence of catastrophic wildfires by unleashing the benefits of grazing and voluntary conservation work.”
Chuck Conner, President and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives said in a statement that “I congratulate Senator John Thune on his election as Majority Leader when Republicans take control of the chamber this January. Senator Thune has been a champion of farmers and ranchers both in South Dakota and across the country. He is also strong supporter of farmer co-ops and has served as the co-chair of the Congressional Farmer Cooperative Caucus for a number of years. We look forward to working with Senator Thune next year on a number of issues—including tax extension and farm policy—that will bolster the economy, increase American competitiveness and ensure national security.”
Thune has served as whip since 2019 and campaigned heavily for his GOP colleagues during this election cycle, a metric often used to size up candidates’ fundraising prowess and willingness to help out the party. Thune raised $33 million this cycle and attended more than 200 events for Republican candidates, according to his office. Thune has served in the Senate since 2005. Before that, he was South Dakota’s at-large representative in the House for six years.
