W hen Republican members of the Senate gathered in Washington this week to name their leadership to run the chamber next year, there were some preliminary rumblings about the need

GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota was elected by the Senate Republican Conference to succeed Mitch McConnell as leader in a secret election.

He rode a remarkable and ahistoric wave back to re-election last week, one in which his allies expanded their majority in the House, and the Senate will return in January with Republicans holding the gavels.

South Dakota Senator John Thune, a longtime deputy of Mitch McConnell and an advocate of free trade, has won the election to lead the Republican Senate majority next year, setting up potential conflicts with President-elect Donald Trump over tariffs and Ukraine aid.