FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) speak to reporters after meeting with President Trump about their planned changes in the U.S. tax code, at the White House in Washington, U.S. October 18, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Senate Republicans elected John Thune to lead the chamber next year, opting for a well-regarded insider and shrugging off a public pressure campaign by supporters of Donald Trump to pick a loyalist to the president-elect.
The South Dakota senator's victory is a sign the Senate could retain some degree of independence from Trump next year, when Republicans will control the White House and both chambers of Congress. Republicans will hold at least 52 seats in the 100-seat Senate and were projected on Wednesday to retain a thin majority in the House of Representatives.
At a news conference, Thune said he would aim to confirm Trump's nominees quickly and work to help him cut spending and bolster border security.
"We are excited to reclaim the majority and begin to work with our colleagues in the House to enact President Trump's agenda," he said.
Thune said he would not lower the Senate's traditional 60-vote "filibuster" threshold needed to advance most legislation, which will require him to secure Democratic support much of the time.
Thune, 63, is seen as an even-tempered institutionalist and seasoned legislator who has close relationships with many of his fellow Republicans. He currently serves as the chamber's No. 2 Republican and will succeed 82-year-old Mitch McConnell, the longest serving party leader in Senate history. He was first elected to the Senate in 2004.
Thune prevailed over Senator John Cornyn of Texas, another long-serving institutionalist, by a 29-24 vote. Rick Scott of Florida, a close ally of Trump who was backed by influential outsiders like billionaire Elon Musk and conservative commentator Sean Hannity, was eliminated in a first round of voting.
Scott's bid made the normally clubby election an early test of Senate independence under Trump, who had not endorsed a candidate but called on the next Republican leader to give him leeway to bypass the normal system of hearings and votes to approve Cabinet nominees. All three contenders quickly signaled their openness to the idea.
Some of Trump's loudest supporters had expressed concern that Thune and Cornyn, who had both worked closely with McConnell, might not be reliable governing partners. Both have served for two decades, delivered major legislation and helped elected other Republicans.
Scott, first elected in 2018, is a hardline conservative who previously served two terms as Florida governor.
"I ran for leader with one mission: to fundamentally change how the Senate operates and upend the status quo so we can actually start representing the voters who put us here," he said in a statement.
The vote came as Trump met with Democratic President Joe Biden at the White House, where both men promised a smooth transfer of power in January. Trump's vice presidential pick, JD Vance, was present for the vote because he still holds his Senate seat.
Republicans elected Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming to serve as Thune's lieutenant. Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia also were elected to top leadership positions.
(Reporting by David Morgan and Bo Erickson; additional reporting by Katharine Jackson and Moira Warburton; writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis and Bill Berkrot)
