Sen. John Thune of South Dakota
Thune, age 63, is currently the second-highest-ranking Republican senator.
As minority whip, Thune is officially in charge of taking the pulse of rank-and-file GOP senators and knowing how votes will break down ahead of time — a position that affords him relationships across the conference.
Altogether, Thune is the most McConnell-like of the current and potential leader candidates. He’s worked closely with the Kentucky Republican and shares his views on both Ukraine aid and foreign policy more broadly.
As he’s begun pitching himself to fellow GOP senators, he has said in interviews that he would represent a “new generation” of leadership — he’s nearly two decades younger than McConnell — and will seek to empower individual members of the conference.
He could, however, have a problem with former President Donald Trump.
Thune endorsed Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina when he ran for president last year, described Trump’s conduct on January 6, 2021 as “inexcusable,” and has been willing to criticize the former president over the last several years.
He was also relatively late in endorsing Trump, doing so in February long after it had become clear that he would be the party’s presidential nominee.
While Trump won’t be able to pick the next Senate GOP leader himself, Thune may be hoping that the former president doesn’t get deeply involved in the race.
