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At the helm of the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has emerged as a pivotal figure in the early days of Trump’s second administration. His ability to navigate the Senate’s complex dynamics and maintain Republican unity has produced remarkable results that deserve recognition across party lines.
The Senate’s confirmation record under Thune’s leadership is impressive, with 19 Trump Cabinet and sub-Cabinet nominations successfully confirmed through 1,197 Republican confirmation votes. The cohesion among Republican senators has been notable, with only seven dissenting votes from three senators: Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. The remaining 50 Republicans maintained unwavering support for all nominations.
Even the most contentious nominations sailed through under Thune’s guidance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and FBI Director Kash Patel all secured confirmation, giving Thune a perfect record in shepherding nominees through the process.
Republicans are unified and ready to get to work delivering on President Trump’s agenda. pic.twitter.com/XEvBMmJlvv
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) December 4, 2024
The looming threat of Trump-backed primary challengers may have influenced some Republicans’ voting decisions. Thune skillfully leveraged this dynamic, particularly during the Hegseth confirmation. His strategic move to publicize Iowa Senator Joni Ernst’s private meeting with Hegseth and subsequent support proved crucial in securing the necessary votes, culminating in Vice President J.D. Vance’s tie-breaking vote.
The pace of confirmations has been particularly noteworthy, especially considering the controversial nature of many nominees and their association with a polarizing president. The current confirmation rate outpaces both Biden’s 2021 process and Trump’s first-term confirmations in 2017. In fact, these are the fastest confirmations since Trent Lott expedited George W. Bush’s appointments in 2001, though Bush’s nominees were far less controversial.
Thune’s leadership extended beyond confirmations to passing a comprehensive 62-page budget resolution, setting the stage for Trump’s energy, border, and defense initiatives. The resolution passed with strong Republican support, losing only Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., after ten hours of deliberation on 25 amendments.
Senate Republicans are committed to making America prosperous again by streamlining the bureaucratic machine and overturning costly Biden-Harris regulations
And we will continue to confirm nominees as quickly as possible to ensure @POTUS has the team he needs to enact the agenda… pic.twitter.com/zg5NpHbWsI
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) February 14, 2025
“We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately,” Benjamin Franklin allegedly remarked at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker once noted that “being leader of the Senate was like herding cats. It is trying to make 99 independent souls act in concert under rules that encourage polite anarchy and embolden people who find majority rule a dubious proposition at best.”
Thune’s masterful leadership these past two months has proven him exceptionally capable of herding these legislative cats, setting an example for House Republicans operating under their own slim majority.
