Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Republican Conference held Leadership elections for the 111th Congress on Tuesday and Senator McConnell was unanimously re-elected by his colleagues to serve as Republican Leader.



“I am honored that my colleagues re-elected me to serve as the Republican Leader in the 111th Congress,” McConnell said. “As Republican Leader, I will continue to use my clout to advance Kentucky’s interests and to ensure that our voice is heard.”



The results are as follows:



Republican Leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Republican Whip, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)

Republican Conference Chair, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)



Republican Policy Committee Chairman, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.)

Republican Conference Vice Chair, John Thune (R-S.D.)

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman, John Cornyn (R-Texas)



“We’ve assembled a great team which stands ready to protect American taxpayers by cutting spending, paying down the national debt, and moving our nation toward energy independence,” McConnell said. “We are eager to work with our Democrat colleagues to forge bipartisan agreements and implement real legislative accomplishments.”



Senator McConnell is only the second Kentuckian to lead his party in the U.S. Senate. The only other Senator from Kentucky to serve as his party’s leader was Alben Barkley. Senator Barkley (D-KY) served as majority leader for nearly 10 years, from 1937 to 1947, longer than anyone else before him. From 1947 to 1949 he served as minority leader, and in 1948 he was elected vice president to President Truman.



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