WASHINGTON—Republican senators’ secret ballot vote Wednesday for a new leader will test how much lawmakers want to shake things up as they enter an era defined by the populist energy that propelled President-elect Donald Trump back to the White House.

For instance, The Associated Press reported in 2020 that both McConnell and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer had won their party's leadership elections in secret ballots (although which of the two would be the "majority" leader and which would be the "minority" leader was still up for debate, since runoff elections in Georgia had not yet taken place).

Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., will be the new Republican Senate leader and the majority leader of the upper chamber in the new Congress. In January, he will succeed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.