WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican senators will gather behind closed doors Wednesday to decide who will replace longtime Senate leader Mitch McConnell and lead their new majority next year — a decision that could shape the future of the Senate, and the party, as Donald Trump reclaims the presidency.

The Republicans in the US Senate on Wednesday elected John Thune of South Dakota as the chamber's next majority leader. The Republicans secured a majority in the Senate in last week's US election, which also swept Donald Trump back into the White House.

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is one of the most powerful people in Washington that folks outside D.C. have never heard of.

Cornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate.

Republicans on Wednesday elected Senator John Thune of South Dakota, their No. 2 in the chamber, to serve as majority leader in the next Congress, choosing a G.O.P. institutionalist to replace Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky,

Republican John Thune of South Dakota is elected next Senate majority leader, making him a key partner in power to Trump

Thune was elected to lead the party in the upper house on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported. The choice was between Cornyn (R - Texas) and Sen. Rick Scott (R - Fla.) Republicans hold the majority with 53 seats to the Democrat’s 47.

John Thune was voted in as the new Senate majority leader on Wednesday, replacing Mitch McConnell, who had led the Senate's GOP for the past 20 years The Republican, who hails from South Dakota, was previously the Senate minority whip,