| Election Name: | 2024 Senate Republican Conference leadership election |
| Flag Image: | Seal of the United States Senate.svg |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2022 Senate Republican Conference leadership election |
| Previous Year: | 2022 |
| Election Date: | November 13, 2024 |
| Seats For Election: | 53 Republican Senators-elect in the 119th Congress27 votes needed for a majority |
| 1Blank: | First ballot |
| 2Blank: | Second ballot |
| Vote Type: | Members' |
| Image1: | John Thune 117th Congress portrait cropped.jpg |
| Candidate1: | John Thune |
| Color1: | E81B23 |
| Home State1: | South Dakota |
| 1Data1: | 23 (43.4%) |
| 2Data1: | 29 (54.7%) |
| Candidate2: | John Cornyn |
| Color2: | E81B23 |
| Home State2: | Texas |
| 1Data2: | 15 (28.3%) |
| 2Data2: | 24 (45.3%) |
| Image3: | Official Portrait of Senator Rick Scott (cropped).jpg |
| Candidate3: | Rick Scott |
| Color3: | E81B23 |
| Home State3: | Florida |
| 1Data3: | 13 (24.5%) |
| 2Data3: | Eliminated |
| Leader | |
| Before Election: | Mitch McConnell |
| After Election: | John Thune |
On November 13, 2024, Republican members of the United States Senate held an election to determine the next leader of the Senate Republican Conference, who is poised to become the next majority leader of the United States Senate at the start of the 119th U.S. Congress. Republicans regained control of the chamber in the 2024 election, flipping three Democratic seats and securing a 53–47 majority.
Incumbent Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has served in the position since 2007, announced in February 2024 that he would step down at the start of the next session, triggering the election to succeed him. The election was held by secret ballot, with only those who will serve as Republican senators in the 119th Congress allowed to cast a vote.
Senators John Cornyn, Rick Scott and John Thune were the only official candidates on the ballot. After receiving the fewest number of votes on the first ballot, Scott was eliminated. Thune won the election on the second ballot, after receiving a majority of the ballots cast.
Senator Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Senate Republican Conference since 2007, announced in February 2024 that he would step down from his leadership position following the 2024 United States Senate elections.[1] Those elections resulted in a Republican majority in the Senate, meaning the winner of the leadership election would become Senate majority leader.[2]
The Senate majority leader serves as the chief representative of their party in the Senate, and is considered the most powerful member of the Senate. The Senate's executive and legislative business is also managed and scheduled by the majority leader.[3]
Key issues for the election include the proposed implementation of term-limits for the Senate Republican leader, a proposed expansion of the leaders power over appointments to Senate committees and how to pass president-elect Donald Trump's agenda.[4] [5] [6]
The secret ballot election was held on November 13 by a conference of Republican senators. A candidate must receive a majority of votes cast to become leader; if no candidate receives a majority, the lowest vote getter is eliminated and the senators vote again.[7]
The following candidates declared their intent to run.
| Candidate | State | Other Senate roles | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
John Cornyn | Texas | Republican Senate Whip | [8] | |
Rick Scott | Florida | Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee | [9] | |
John Thune | South Dakota | Republican Senate Whip Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee Chair of the Senate Republican Conference Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee | [10] |
| Candidate | First Ballot | Second Ballot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Percent | Votes | Percent | |||
| bgcolor= | John Thune | 23 | 43.40% | 29 | 54.72% | |
| bgcolor= | John Cornyn | 15 | 28.30% | 24 | 45.28% | |
| bgcolor= | Rick Scott | 13 | 24.53% | Eliminated | ||
| Write-in | 2 | 3.77% | 0 | 0.00% | ||
| Total | 53 | 100.00% | 53 | 100.00% | ||