The success of President-elect Donald Trump‘s second term in office — its efficient operations and its ability to make a lasting impact on the federal government — requires functioning legislative majorities in the House and Senate. Fortunately, Republican majorities in the two chambers have been able to coalesce around proven, experienced, mature, and competent candidates who can help deliver a conservative agenda without allowing their institutions to become rubber stamps for the White House.

In the Senate, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) beat Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) 29-24 in a second round of voting after Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) was eliminated on the first ballot. Congratulations to Thune, who we believe will make an excellent successor to outgoing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Scott, who had all but pledged to do anything Trump wanted, was clearly the president-elect’s favored candidate. This was made plain by the intervention of several Trump surrogates endorsing Scott. Trump himself did not go so far as that, a wise abstention since he could make his views known without a public endorsement that would have delivered him an early defeat and created unnecessary friction with the eventual winner. But it is clear that Trump intends to make his feelings and his presence felt; how else to interpret his visit to Capitol Hill, albeit to the House, at precisely the time that senators were voting?