John Thune To Remain Leader Of Senate Republicans

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have reelected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as their leader. The vote Tuesday came after a tense day of discussions about the party’s steep losses in the midterm elections that cost them their majority. Thune was always expected to prevail, as he is popular with his GOP colleagues and was running unopposed. But Senate Republicans vented their frustrations in three separate meetings Tuesday after an election wipeout that cost them at least seven Senate seats. Republicans were also pushing Thune to stay in session around the clock in the coming weeks to push through war spending and other party priorities before they lose power in January.