A group of Republican senators is urging for a delay in leadership elections after current leader John Thune (R-SD) proposed to hold them next week. Thune is aiming for a second term and desires an immediate vote.
A spokesperson confirmed Thune’s intention to run for minority leader in the elections set for Tuesday. Currently, no other Republican senator has publicly challenged him, although there is notable dissatisfaction within the party.
Several senators, including Ron Johnson (R-WI), have signed a letter advocating for a meeting of the Senate Republican Conference to discuss delaying the elections. According to conference rules, a request from five or more senators can convene such a meeting.
Supporters of this initiative include Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), and John Kennedy (R-LA).
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Our supporters expected us to drain the swamp, but it seems like the swamp won. pic.twitter.com/vnhujxBMKf
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) November 7, 2026
Johnson argues for a thorough review of election outcomes before proceeding. He stated, “We need to delay that. We need a robust discussion — I always call them a postmortem — of what happened. You can’t just elect leadership by acclimation; that’s unacceptable,” during an appearance on the Clay & Buck Show.
In the letter addressed to Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR), the senators remarked that the recent elections resulted in a “stunning defeat” for Republicans and demanded immediate changes. They expressed a need for crucial discussions on improving outcomes for 2028.
“It would be political malpractice to hold leadership elections without a thorough evaluation of how candidates plan to lead,” the letter asserted.
Johnson suggested that, when convened, senators should first conduct discussions and delay leadership elections until they can hear from candidates about their proposed governing models.
Senator Lee echoed Johnson’s sentiments on social media, stating, “We shouldn’t hold leadership elections until we’ve discussed what occurred on Tuesday and know who will be in our conference.”
Senator Scott, while supporting the letter, mentioned he would not run for leadership again, marking a shift in focus on being receptive to others. “I don’t want to run again. I’ve run twice. I think we ought to be listeners,” he stated.
The leadership elections are scheduled for Tuesday morning in the Old Senate Chamber. Republicans have lost several Senate seats in the midterms, with a few races still uncalled during these discussions. Johnson expressed uncertainty regarding the potential for postponing the elections.
The conference will also deliberate on other leadership roles, including the coveted whip position, which Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) aims to retain.
