UPDATE - John Thune elected US Senate majority leader

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By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Sen. John Thune was elected Wednesday as Senate majority leader for the next two years.

In a secret ballot election, three Republican candidates -- Thune, John Cornyn and Rick Scott -- run to replace Mitch McConnell, who has held the post for nearly two decades and will step down at the end of the year.

Thune received 29 votes, to Cornyn’s 24. Scott was eliminated from the leadership contest in the first round of voting after getting 13 votes.

"I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House," Thune said in a statement.

Current Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer congratulated Thune.

"I look forward to working with him. We've done many bipartisan things here in the Senate together and I hope that continues," the Democrat said on the Senate floor.

Thune, 63, has served as Senate Republican whip, the number two position in Senate Republican leadership since 2019.

Sen. John Barrasso, 72, meanwhile, won the election to become Senate majority whip.

House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that whoever is elected new leader, the House looks forward "to working with him beginning immediately."