Senate Republicans seek to delay leadership vote after midterms

· Politics · United States

Several Senate Republicans are pushing to delay the party's leadership elections scheduled for next week following the GOP's midterm defeat, a move that could open the door to a challenge against Minority Leader John Thune. The effort comes after Democrats won control of Congress in the Nov 3 midterm elections. President Donald Trump has separately ordered the Justice Department to investigate Democrats he accuses of threatening Republicans, singling out Senator Elissa Slotkin. The internal Republican jockeying and Trump's counter-investigation push signal a turbulent transition to divided government and jockeying ahead of the 2028 race.

Why it matters：A leadership fight would shape how Republicans confront a Democratic Congress and set the party's direction before 2028.

Key points

  • The party leadership elections were scheduled for next week.
  • The push follows the GOP's midterm defeat.
  • Trump ordered a DOJ probe of Democrats he says threatened Republicans.

Sources (original reporting)

More stories from this day