Sen. John Thune plans to seek the Senate Republican leadership position after the party lost its Senate majority in the midterm elections, according to sources close to him cited by the Washington Sun and Fox News. The South Dakota Republican would run for minority leader, the outlets reported.
The Washington Sun said Republican leadership elections are scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10, and that no other Republican had publicly announced a challenge. It reported the party had lost at least six Senate seats, while Fox News put the losses at at least five and cited South Carolina and Texas among the contests. Thune has previously indicated he would seek another leadership term, according to the Washington Sun.