McConnell Elected Senate Majority Leader; Reid to Become Minority Leader
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iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell fulfilled a lifelong ambition Thursday by becoming Senate majority leader. He will officially take the post next January.
Although there were some rumblings last week that McConnell might face a possible challenge from the far right wing of the party, he was elected by acclimation without need of a roll call or tally.
McConnell’s elevation to the top spot in the Senate occurred during the Republicans’ closed-door leadership elections.
Meanwhile, outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was picked by Democrats to be the minority leader in the next session although not without some objections.
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said in a statement, “Common sense tells me that begins with changes in leadership.”
McCaskill, along with Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, didn’t vote for Reid.
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