WASHINGTON — Florida Senator Rick Scott came up short in his second bid to be the Senate Majority Leader, losing to South Dakota Senator John Thune.
Senator Scott didn't make it until the third round of voting. He wasn't able to best Texas Senator John Cornyn, or Thune.
Thune, who is 63 and in his fourth Senate term, has promised to work closely with Trump despite their differences over the years. He will be a crucial part of the incoming president’s efforts to implement his policy agenda.
Republicans are replacing Kentucky's McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader, as they prepare to take majority control with the 53 seats they won in last week’s elections.
Like McConnell, Thune comes from the Republican Party’s more traditional wing. He has held the Republican whip position—the No. 2 position in party leadership—since 2019.
At times, Thune has countered Trump’s wishes for Congress, and he broke publicly with Trump over the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. But in recent months, Thune has realigned with Trump, and the two have been consulting on implementing the incoming president’s agenda.
Back-to-back storm events brought record storm surge, rainfall and winds to the Tampa Bay region. The question some are asking now isn’t where people should rebuild, but where we should let nature regain control.
