(NAFB.com) – Senate Republicans have elected South Dakota’s John Thune as the next Senate majority leader after rejecting public overtures from allies of President-elect Donald Trump who backed a different candidate. MSN reports Thune won in a secret-ballot vote of 29-24, beating out opposing candidates John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida. The 63-year-old Thune will succeed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has led his chamber’s Republicans since 2007 and is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history. Thune has served as whip since 2019 and campaigned heavily for his GOP colleagues during this election cycle, a metric often used to size up candidates’ fundraising prowess and willingness to help out the party. Thune raised $33 million this cycle and attended more than 200 events for Republican candidates, according to his office. Thune has served in the Senate since 2005. Before that, he was South Dakota’s at-large representative in the House for six years.