As Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate in January, all eyes are on the three-way contest to replace Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has held the top GOP post for nearly two decades and is stepping down at the end of the year.

In the first seriously contested Senate Republican leadership election in decades, three senators are vying to replace longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell when he steps down from the post at the beginning of next year.

The incoming Senate Republican majority made their very first major move, electing South Dakota Senator John Thune as their next leader. The Washington Post's Rhonda Colvin reports from the Capitol.

John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida are running in a secret ballot election Wednesday to lead the GOP conference and replace longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell,

In an interview with POLITICO Magazine, Liam Donovan, a former GOP political operative and lobbyist who’s a close observer of Capitol Hill, laid out the political landmines facing the candidates to be the next Senate majority leader and the sway that Trump holds — or doesn’t hold — in the contest.

President-elect Donald Trump congratulated Sen. John Thune on winning election to the role of Senate majority leader, declaring that the lawmaker "will do an outstanding job."