Senate Republicans keep John Thune as leader after losing majority

Senate Republicans reelected Sen. John Thune of South Dakota as their leader Tuesday following significant losses in the midterm elections that cost them their majority, kfoxtv.com reported. Thune ran unopposed and was widely expected to win the leadership vote.

The Republican conference debated whether to delay the leadership vote due to the election losses, but the majority voted 31-15 to proceed, according to PBS NewsHour. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, who pushed for a delay, left the meeting after the effort failed.

Some senators criticized the party's election results and questioned if the leadership should change. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley argued the losses warranted a new direction, while West Virginia Sen. Jim Justice acknowledged a "legitimate argument" for reconsidering leadership but said current leaders were not responsible for the losses, kfoxtv.com and PBS NewsHour reported.

Despite the criticisms, no alternative candidate emerged to challenge Thune. Several Republicans expressed support for him, and The Hill noted Thune was re-elected "by acclamation," even amid objections from some conservative senators.

Thune expressed pride in the Republican team and committed to advancing conservative priorities, working with President Trump and House colleagues, and opposing Democrats' agenda, according to kfoxtv.com.

The party continues to assess the implications of the midterm results as two Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi remain uncalled, which could further affect Republican numbers, PBS NewsHour reported.