Senator Mitch McConnell is stepping down as Senate Republican Leader after 18 years in the role. The Republican Party of Kentucky released the following statement on McConnell stepping down: “The Republican Party of Kentucky extends its deepest gratitude to Senator McConnell for his remarkable 18 years as U.

Senate Republicans chose John Thune of South Dakota, a longtime Mitch McConnell deputy, as their new leader over Donald Trump ally Rick Scott and another longtime leader, John Cornyn.

In the wake of Donald Trump's Election Day triumph, Republicans hope to leverage their control of the White House and Congress to pass a sweeping new agenda for the U.S. Key to making that happen is the Republicans' Senate leader,