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SUBJECT United States Congressional leadership elections: Leaders of the U.S. Senate re-elected, with the House Speaker’s gavel up for grabs
DATE 2018-11-16
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On Wednesday the 14th, the congressional elections took place in the United States. Elections for the three leadership positions had hardly surprising results. For the Senate, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was reelected Majority Leader, as well as New York Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) who was reelected the Minority Leader.

 

For the House Republicans, who will become the minority party in January, elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) the Minority Leader. The new Minority Leader fended off a challenge from Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.

 

The leadership contest for the Speaker position in the House of Representative remains. The elections are not expected to take place until after Thanksgiving. The country will have the House controlled by Democrats for the first time in nearly a decade.

 

Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the House Minority Leader since 2011, has announced her intention to run to be speaker. The California Democrat had no significant challenger until former Congressional Black Baucus Chairwoman Marcia Fudge (D-Oh.) said she’s considering a bid. When elections are held this November, Pelosi will need the votes of a majority of House Democrats. To be elected House Speaker, she will need 218 votes on the floor in January.

 

While the Democrats in the Senate largely remain the same, there has been some change in the Republican lawmakers due to term limits and retirements.

 

Lawmakers elected to new positions include Sen. John Thune (South Dakota) who will replace Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) as Majority Whip. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa will serve as Republican Conference Vice-Chair. Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) will replace Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) as the Senate’s President Pro Tempore, which is a position generally given to the most senior lawmaker.

 

BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)