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Republican John Thune of South Dakota is elected the next Senate majority leader

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Republican John Thune of South Dakota is elected the next Senate majority leader
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Republican John Thune of South Dakota is elected the next Senate majority leader

2024-11-14 03:39 Last Updated At:03:46

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as the next Senate majority leader, completing a momentous shift in their leadership that elevates a top deputy of Mitch McConnell into a key position as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Thune, 63, is in his fourth Senate term and has promised to work closely with Trump, despite differences the two have had over the years, and will be a crucial part of the incoming president’s efforts to push through his policy agenda.

Thune beat out two other competitors, Sens. John Cornyn and Rick Scott, by gaining majority support from GOP senators in two rounds of secret ballots behind closed doors. Scott was eliminated on the first round and the final vote between Thune and Cornyn was 29-24, according to several people who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

Republicans are replacing McConnell, the longest serving Senate party leader, as they prepare to take majority control of the Senate with the 53 seats they won in last week’s elections. It was the first competitive election for Republican leader in three decades and Senate Republicans' first regime change since McConnell became GOP leader in 2007.

Thune's election represents a major shift in the upper chamber's GOP conference as many senators have been eager to move on from McConnell's long and powerful reign. But it will also be a complicated test for Thune as he will have to manage a conference that is often divided over policy, navigate Trump's demands of the legislative branch and secure policy wins for the president as he begins his second term.

Speaking to reporters immediately after he was elected, Thune said that it is a “new day in the United States Senate.” He said his majority will work to toughen border security laws, lower energy costs and overturn regulations they see as burdensome.

“We are excited to reclaim the majority and to get to work with our colleagues in the House to enact President Trump’s agenda,” Thune said.

As the candidates tried to win over individual senators, all of their pitches centered around how close they would be to Trump. That was a more difficult task for Cornyn and Thune, who broke publicly with Trump over his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by Trump's supporters. At the time, Thune called Trump's actions “inexcusable.”

In recent months, Thune has worked to smooth over that relationship, visiting Trump in his Florida home and consulting with him on how to implement the incoming president’s agenda. Thune told The Associated Press over the summer that he views their potential relationship as a professional one. If they both won their elections, Thune said then, “we’ve got a job to do.”

As he made his case, Thune has made clear that he will listen to Trump's demands. When Trump posted on X Sunday that the new leader “must agree” to allow him to appoint Cabinet members and others when the Senate is on recess, avoiding confirmation votes, Thune quickly responded in a statement that the Senate must “quickly and decisively” act to get nominees in place and that “all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments.”

Speaking to reporters after he was elected, Thune noted that “the Senate has an advise and consent rule in the Constitution" but that they will do everything they can to get his nominees in place.

“How that happens remains to be seen,” Thune said.

Thune’s win is all the more extraordinary because of his 2004 election to the Senate – defeating then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle after arguing during the campaign that Daschle had lost his South Dakota roots during his years in Democratic leadership. Twenty years later, Thune will become majority leader himself.

Well liked and a respected communicator, Thune has been perceived as a front-runner for much of the year. Like McConnell, he hails from the Republican Party’s more traditional wing.

He is a former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and has held the Republican whip position — no. 2 in party leadership — since 2019. He took over for McConnell for several weeks last year when he was on a medical leave, a move that was widely seen as an audition of sorts as speculation surrounded McConnell's future.

As he geared up to run for leader, Thune spent much of the year campaigning for his colleagues. According to his aides, he raised more than $31 million to elect Senate Republicans this cycle, including a $4 million transfer from his own campaign accounts to the Senate’s main campaign arm.

The election was difficult for many in the conference who saw Thune and Cornyn as similar choices. They are alike on policy, voting generally in step with the conference but working with Democrats at times. Cornyn is a longtime member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who took a leading role on bipartisan gun legislation two years ago.

But the two differed on whether the leader should be term limited — a key demand from some in the conservative wing. Cornyn pushed for limits, while Thune did not.

Scott, the former governor of Florida, was elected to the Senate in 2018 and quickly positioned himself as a foil to McConnell, running against him for leader in 2022 and aligning with Utah Sen. Mike Lee and others who have been highly critical of the current leadership.

As Thune and Cornyn wooed their colleagues one by one all year, Scott was tied up in his own reelection race. He handily defeated Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by more than 10 points.

In the week since the election, Scott aggressively stepped up his campaign for GOP leader, campaigning publicly as the candidate closest to Trump and winning endorsements from people who are close to the former and future president, such as billionaire Elon Musk. But some questioned whether that strategy might backfire.

South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, Thune's home state colleague, said that he prefers the way that Thune and Cornyn have “handled it one-on-one with everybody,” but that he had talked to Scott as well. “We’ve got three qualified individuals,” he said ahead of the race.

Still, both Thune and Cornyn adopted some of Scott's ideas as they worked to win over voters. Thune told the conference in a candidate forum Tuesday evening that he would allow more amendments on the floor and improve communication from McConnell's regime, addressing frequent complaints from that wing of the conference.

McConnell did not say who he was supporting, but said after the vote that Thune’s victory was a “clear endorsement of a consummate leader.”

“The American people elected Republicans to restore stability and order after four years of Washington Democrats’ failure," McConnell said. "John Thune will take the reins with a tremendous opportunity to lead this transformation, and Senate Republicans stand behind him, ready to get to work.”

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks at a campaign watch party on election night Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Bonita Springs, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks at a campaign watch party on election night Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Bonita Springs, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

FILE - Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to media, Oct. 18, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

FILE - Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to media, Oct. 18, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., center, welcomes incoming Republican senators in his office at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. From left are, Sen.-elect Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., Sen.-elect Jim Banks, R-Ind., Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Sen.-elect John Curtis, R-Utah, Sen.-elect David McCormick, R-Pa., and Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., center, welcomes incoming Republican senators in his office at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. From left are, Sen.-elect Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., Sen.-elect Jim Banks, R-Ind., Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Sen.-elect John Curtis, R-Utah, Sen.-elect David McCormick, R-Pa., and Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 13, 2024--

Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit joined forces with Roush ® and Regulator Marine to reveal the world’s first hydrogen-powered outboard for recreational boats, to car manufacturers, automotive component suppliers and aftermarket equipment manufactures from around the globe during the 2024 Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) Show, Nov. 4-8 in Las Vegas, Nev. Complimented by a hydrogen fuel system designed by Roush, to power the outboard, and a custom boat hull from Regulator Marine, the Yamaha H2 outboard concept was on display for 160,000 registered attendees, including over 2,300 approved media, during the course of the show.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241113615116/en/

Together, Yamaha, Regulator and Roush highlighted the future of propulsion, setting the stage for a groundbreaking crossover between marine and automotive innovation. With a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 for operations and 2050 for products, Yamaha is championing a multi-technology approach aligned with SEMA initiatives to motivate others in the industry to pursue carbon neutrality within product lines.

“Why did we decide to exhibit at SEMA? Because Yamaha and SEMA share a belief that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for carbon-neutral products, and hydrogen is a formidable contender for the future of cleaner internal combustion engines,” said Grant Suzuki, Chief of Technology, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “Internal combustion will continue to be a necessary component in recreational boating. We’re also advocating publicly for sustainable fuels, hydrogen and other technologies we can deploy to continue to meet customer expectations. We received a tremendously positive response from show attendees, and we look forward to sharing more about the H2 outboard as we continue to test and collect data.”

Yamaha’s presence at the show included a FutureTech Fireside Chat with Grant Suzuki, Chief Technology Officer, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit; Matt Van Benschoten, Vice President, Advanced Engineering, Roush; and Don Seal, Manufacturing Engineer, Regulator Marine. Martin Peters, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit Director of External Affairs, moderated the discussion. Exemplifying the power of cross-industry collaboration, the three panelists discussed the promise of hydrogen fuel as well as a multi-technology approach to carbon neutrality that also includes sustainable drop-in fuels and electric applications.

Suzuki also participated in a separate panel entitled, “Advanced Fuels and Powertrains: Current Landscape and Innovations,” alongside panelists Robert Wimmer, Director of Energy and Environmental Research, Carbon Neutrality and Regulatory Affairs, Toyota ®; Tom Holm, Executive Director, Department of Defense Energy Defense Council; Kaustav Sinha, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Chevron ®; Josh Budworth, Vice President of Business Development, Alliance AutoGas ®; and Jeff Wilkerson, Pearson Fuels™, Government Policy and Regulatory Affairs Manager. Moderated by Jamie Butters, Executive Editor of Automotive News®, the panel discussion delved deeper into how the industry can help reduce carbon emissions by adopting various fuel technologies for internal combustion engines (ICE), as well as the innovative powertrains that can work alongside electrification.

Yamaha has a long-standing commitment to exploring innovative and sustainable technologies, including hydrogen as a potential fuel source. The company's interest in hydrogen technology began in 2003 with early research into alternative energy solutions aimed at reducing environmental impact. Over the years, Yamaha collaborated with various partners to develop hydrogen-powered engines. These efforts align with Yamaha's broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future. By exploring hydrogen as a clean and renewable energy source, Yamaha is advancing environmental goals while maintaining performance and reliability.

The pursuit of hydrogen technology is just one example of Yamaha’s suite of multiple technology solutions to reduce carbon. Earlier this year Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. acquired electric marine propulsion leader Torqeedo GmbH, expanding Yamaha's capabilities in electric and hybrid power. In addition, Yamaha is also actively researching and promoting the use of sustainable marine fuels as part of ongoing efforts toward carbon neutrality across the industry.

Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit, based in Kennesaw, Ga., markets and sells marine outboard motors ranging in size from 2.5 to 450 horsepower. It also engineers, manufactures, markets and sells boat control systems, IoT control devices, fiberglass, jet-drive sport boats ranging from 19 to 27 feet, and personal watercraft. The unit includes the manufacturing divisions of Yamaha Marine Systems Co., Inc., including Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders (rotational molding), Bennett Marine of Deerfield Beach, Fla. (trim tabs), and Yamaha Marine Precision Propellers of Indianapolis (stainless steel propellers). Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit is a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., based in Cypress, Calif.

This document contains many of Yamaha's valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only and are not intended to be an endorsement. Roush® is a registered trademark of Roush Enterprises, Inc.

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.

© 2024 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit joined forces with Roush® and Regulator Marine to reveal the world’s first hydrogen-powered outboard for recreational boats, to car manufacturers, automotive component suppliers and aftermarket equipment manufactures from around the globe during the 2024 Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) Show, Nov. 4-8 in Las Vegas, Nev. The Yamaha H2 outboard concept was on display for 160,000 registered attendees, including over 2,300 approved media, during the course of the show. (Photo: Business Wire)

Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit joined forces with Roush® and Regulator Marine to reveal the world’s first hydrogen-powered outboard for recreational boats, to car manufacturers, automotive component suppliers and aftermarket equipment manufactures from around the globe during the 2024 Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) Show, Nov. 4-8 in Las Vegas, Nev. The Yamaha H2 outboard concept was on display for 160,000 registered attendees, including over 2,300 approved media, during the course of the show. (Photo: Business Wire)

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