Senate Republicans Select Thune as Next Majority Leader

Senate Republicans elected Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune of South Dakota as their chamber lead for the next Congress, meaning he will become majority leader when the party regains control in January. The caucus’ members for the next Congress voted 29-24 for Thune over former GOP Whip John Cornyn of Texas. Thune, currently GOP whip, was a previous Commerce Committee chairman. He is likely to continue influencing Republicans’ trajectory on communications and tech policy issues, but his elevation to Senate GOP leader revives questions about who will lead Communications in the next Congress (see 2402290057). NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield and USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter praised Senate Republicans for electing Thune. He “is a champion of our broadband future, recognizing reliable high-speed internet access is essential for education and economic growth, especially in rural areas,” Spalter said: The group hopes to work with Thune “and the new Congress to remove barriers to deployment and investment, expand broadband infrastructure and build a more connected America.” Thune “has been a champion of rural broadband policies throughout his tenure in Congress, and he understands the unique and essential role that small, community-based broadband providers play in connecting rural areas—including by serving nearly 90% of the geography in his home state of South Dakota,” Bloomfield said.