McConnell is stepping down as Senate minority leader. Could John Thune take his place?

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, announced Wednesday morning that he plans to step down from the leadership post this November.

That will leave Senate Republicans' top spot open for the first time since 2007, and all eyes are likely to be on South Dakota Sen. John Thune as he decides whether to make a run for the position after serving as the party's whip since 2019.

"“I know it’s often said about members who leave this institution or step aside from leadership or committee posts, but it will be hard to imagine a Senate in which Sen. McConnell isn’t serving as Republican leader,” Thune stated in a news release Wednesday afternoon about McConnell's departure. “For decades, he’s been a fierce defender of the Senate, our conference, and our party, and we’re all better for his service. Mitch leaves enormous shoes to fill, and it’s with humility that I look forward to having a discussion with my colleagues about what the future holds for the Senate Republican Conference and a new generation of leadership. Until then, thank you, Mitch.”

More: Sen. John Thune broke the Mundt curse. Now, can he become the Senate GOP top dog?

Thune, who was elected to a historic fourth consecutive term in 2022, hasn't spoken much about the position in the past. He told the Argus Leader shortly after his re-election, "I don’t know what the future holds,” and “So much of politics is really, to me, timing and you just have to be prepared and not rule out opportunities.”

Thune and Trump haven't always seen eye-to-eye

Thune endorsed former president Donald Trump earlier this week following Trump's win over Nikki Haley in the South Carolina primary. Thune initially had early support for Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).

Thune and Trump have had a rocky relationship, with Trump calling for Thune to be challenged in a Senate primary by Gov. Kristi Noem in 2022 after Thune criticized efforts by Republican members of the House attempting to reject the results of the Electoral College.

A vote on the leadership position will take place in November, with whoever replaces McConnell stepping into the position of minority or majority leader in January alongside the election of the 119th United States Congress.

The 2024 election looks to be a challenging one for Senate Democrats, who hold a 51-49 majority and are already faced with the coming retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).

The loss of two Senate seats — or one seat and a Republican in the White House — would give the Republicans the majority.

More: Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the Senate: Here are five races to watch in 2024

How long has Thune represented South Dakota at the national level?

Thune is approaching three decades representing South Dakota at the federal level, serving in the U.S. House from 1997-2003 and starting his first term in the U.S. Senate in 2005 — in a narrow win over incumbent Tim Daschle, who was at the time serving as Senate majority leader for the Democrats.

He's been popular as an incumbent, holding three of the top five winning election margins in the state's Senate races. His lowest vote share running for re-election coming in 2022, when he was elected to his fourth term with 69.63% of the vote against Democrat Brian Bengs and Libertarian Tamara Lesnar.

Others who could potentially have an interest in the position include Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who was the party's whip prior to Thune, and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), the chair of the Senate Republican Conference.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated when Mitch McConnell first held the leadership role for Senate Republicans. This story has been updated to reflect this change.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: With McConnell stepping down, could Thune lead Senate Republicans?