Republicans have looked on the capable Kentucky lawmaker to shepherd conservative agendas through the legislative process for almost two decades.
Washington has rushed swiftly to conjecture about Mr. McConnell’s potential successor after he revealed the news. Mr. McConnell has been adept at keeping his disintegrating party united in recent years.
Appealing to opposing sections of the party is a hard task for anybody seeking to follow Mr. McConnell.
As the most likely candidate to succeed Mr. McConnell as leader, Mr. Thune is usually the first of the “three Johns” to be mentioned.
Currently serving as the Republican whip and Mr. McConnell’s second-in-command, the senator from South Dakota is well-known within his party for being a successful fundraiser. Republicans, who have sharply shifted to the right under the direction of the former president Donald Trump, view him as a moderating force as well.
