Leadership Elections Take Center Stage as Congress Returns for Lame Duck Session

Both chambers of Congress returned this week to begin a “lame duck” session of Congress. In addition to funding the government before the Dec. 7 deadline, both parties need to determine who will occupy key leadership positions in the 116th Congress.

This week, House Republicans elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA) as the Minority Leader, Rep. Steve Scalise (LA) as Minority Whip, and Rep. Liz Cheney (WY) as Republican Conference Chairwoman. House Democrats elect their leaders later this month. Current Minority Leader (and former Speaker) Nancy Pelosi (CA) is running unopposed for the Speakership, but a number of House Democrats have signaled they will not support her bid, calling for new leadership. It remains unclear how this process will play out. Democrats are scheduled to pick their Speaker nominee in a closed-door caucus meeting on Nov. 28, with a vote of the full House of Representatives taking place on Jan. 3.

In the Senate, Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were reelected by voice vote to lead their respective parties this week. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (TX), who is term-limited, has been replaced by John Thune (SD). Sen. John Barrasso (WY) is Republican Conference chairman, and Sen. Joni Ernst (IA) beat Nebraska's Deb Fischer (NE) in a race for Republican Senate conference vice chair. Sen. Roy Blunt (MO) takes the helm as Policy Committee chair.

The rest of the Democratic Senate leadership remains the same as in the 115th Congress: Sen. Dick Durbin (IL), Minority Whip; Sen. Patty Murray, (WA) Assistant Democratic Leader; Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI), Chairwoman of Policy and Communications Committee; Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA), Vice Chair of Conference; Sen. Mark Warner (VA), Vice Chair of Conference; Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN), Chair of Steering Committee; Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chairman of Outreach; Sen. Joe Manchin (WV), Vice Chairman of Policy and Communications Committee; and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (WI), Secretary of Conference.