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

Senate Minority Whip John Thune will be the new Republican Senate Leader and the Upper House Majority Leader of the new Congress.

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

Sources told Fox News Digital that no candidate won a majority in the first secret ballot. Late. Rick Scott, R-Fla., received the fewest votes and was knocked out of the race. The second secret ballot was only between Thune and Cornyn.

The senator got at least 27 votes from the 53-member conference during a secret ballot in the old Senate chamber on Wednesday morning.

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The new Senate GOP leader was elected Wednesday. (Reuters)

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

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

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Blackburn backed Scott after the forum. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

Despite this, a source with knowledge told Fox News Digital that Scott’s pitch did not convince everyone. “Scott’s remarks did little to impress or influence members,” they said. “He focused more on his time as a businessman rather than Senate priorities.”

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

Prior to the election, Thune had received public endorsements from Sens. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Mike Rounds, RS.D., Kevin Cramer, RN.D., John Hoeven, RN.D., and a source confirmed to Fox News Digital that the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC ) Steve Daines, R-Mont., privately urged 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., support him also.

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The new leader will succeed McConnell. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

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

The majority of GOP senators did not reveal in advance who they cast their vote for.

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

The new manager takes up the role in January.