Senate Republican Leadership

Senate Republicans will gather in the nation’s capital shortly after election day to select their next leader. The current leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced earlier this year that he was stepping down as Republican Leader at the end of the 118th Congress. McConnell has served as Republican Leader for sixteen years, making the upcoming leadership election the first open-seat contest in almost two decades. As leader, McConnell centralized power in the Senate, along with Democratic leaders Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. John Cornyn, R-Texas, John Thune, R-S.D., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., are vying for Republican votes in the race to succeed McConnell as leader.

However, McConnell's spot is not the only leadership position Republicans will fill after the election. Their entire leadership team is up for election. Republicans (and Democrats) must elect someone to serve in each leadership position every two years at the beginning of a new Congress.

Republican Leadership Overview

The Republican leadership presently consists of six elected positions: Floor Leader (McConnell), Assistant Floor Leader—or Whip (Thune), Conference Chairman (John Barrasso, R-Wyo.), Policy Committee Chairman (Joni Ernst, R-Iowa), Conference Vice Chairman (Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.), and Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman (Steve Daines, R-Mont.). 

Floor Leader (or “Republican Leader”)

The Floor Leader (or “Republican Leader”) serves as the Senate’s “majority” or “minority” leader, depending on whether Republicans or Democrats have the most seats in a particular Congress. In theory, the Floor Leader is tasked with overseeing Republicans’ floor staff and facilitating the participation of interested senators in floor debates. In practice, the Floor Leader is closely involved in all aspects of Senate business.

Specifically, the Floor Leader serves as the party’s spokesman in the media and coordinates legislative strategy on behalf of Senate Republican colleagues. When Republicans are in the majority, the Floor Leader – or “majority leader” – schedules legislation and presidential nominations for consideration on the Senate floor in consultation with the Democratic leader and Republican committee chairs. The majority leader makes motions to begin floor debate on measures (i.e., to proceed to their consideration). The Republican Floor Leader also takes the lead in negotiating unanimous consent agreements to structure the Senate’s consideration of specific measures with the Democratic Floor Leader and other interested senators.

Republicans’ Conference Rules empower the Floor Leader to "appoint half of all vacancies of each 'A' committee." The rules allow the Floor Leader to appoint "half plus one" when there are an odd number of vacancies. For example, the Floor Leader appoints two if there are three vacancies. The Floor leader has discretion on who to appoint, as the Republican Conference Rules do not require him to follow seniority when making committee assignments.

Assistant Floor Leader (or Whip)

The Assistant Floor Leader assists the Floor Leader in coordinating Republicans' activities on the Senate floor. Also referred to as the Whip, the Assistant Floor Leader is tasked with counting votes and persuading Republicans to support the party's position in specific debates. When Republicans are in the majority, the Assistant Floor Leader is also responsible for ensuring a quorum is present so the Senate can conduct business. The Assistant Floor Leader will often stand in for the Floor Leader on the Senate floor when the latter is absent.

Conference Chairman

The Conference Chairman presides over the Senate Republican Conference's meetings and directs its staff. The Conference is the formal organization of Senate Republicans. It currently offers rank-and-file Republicans several communications-related services. Specifically, the Conference helps Republican senators with graphics and provides facilities for radio and television interviews. The Conference also assists Republican senators with getting their message out via various social media platforms.

Policy Committee Chairman

The Policy Committee Chair manages the Republican Policy Committee (RPC) and directs its staff. Republicans’ Conference Rules stipulate, 

The Policy Committee shall consider the legislative program in the Senate and whether any Party policy is involved, prepare and present recommendations for action by the Conference, and advise all senators on legislative matters they desire to present to the Policy Committee.

Theoretically, the RPC acts as an in-house think tank for Senate Republicans. It provides legislative analysis to Republican senators and their staff. Specifically, RPC staff conduct real-time analysis of bills and amendments receiving consideration on the Senate floor. They also offer periodic briefings and produce policy memos analyzing major issues the Senate may consider, helping Republican senators and their staff think through any problems raised by those issues and weigh potential solutions. RPC also helps individual offices think through specific policy questions on an ad-hoc basis. Finally, and more generally, the RPC facilitates policy discussions within the Republican Conference through its recurring staff meetings and weekly luncheon for Republican senators.

Conference Vice Chairman

Originally referred to as the Conference Secretary, the Conference Vice Chairman presently assists the Conference Chairman in managing the Republican Conference and providing communications-related services for rank-and-file senators. The Conference Vice Chairman also takes on various niche roles depending on the interests of its occupant. For example, Paul Coverdell, R-Ga., monitored the Senate floor as Conference Secretary/Vice Chairman and took the lead in rebutting Democratic policy claims directly. The Vice Chairman continues to monitor the floor. However, recent occupants of the position have not taken an active role in personally rebutting Democratic claims directly. They have instead updated Republican offices about floor activity more generally.

Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman

The Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman oversees the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). The NRSC helps elect Republicans to the Senate and offers candidates several services to help them win their elections. Specifically, the NRSC helps candidates formulate a campaign budget, comply with election laws, communicate effectively, conduct opposition research, and develop campaign strategies. The NRSC also coordinates Republicans' fundraising efforts on behalf of incumbents and candidates alike.

The Takeaway

Senate Republicans will fill each position on their elected leadership team when they return to the nation's capital after the November elections. While the race to succeed McConnell as Floor Leader has received the most attention in recent months, Republicans will also have to decide who should serve in the other leadership positions. These are important decisions given party leaders' prominent role in managing the Senate. Republican senators should, therefore, weigh each candidate's merits carefully in the context of the responsibilities associated with the position they are seeking.