Senate Dems, GOP reelect leaders in orderly transition

Senate Democrats and Republicans reelected their leadership teams Wednesday in an orderly post-election transition to the 112th Congress.
 
Senate Democrats, however, are still searching for a volunteer to chair the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in the next election cycle, when 21 Democrats and two allied independents face reelection.
 

Democrats reelected Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (Was.). They reaffirmed Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (N.Y.) role as the third-ranking member of the Democratic leadership, but under a new title.
 
Schumer will take over as chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, replacing Sen. Byron Dorgan (N.D.), who is set to retire. The post will be elevated to No. 3 in the Democratic leadership and will put Schumer in charge of a new policy and press operation that combines the staff and resources of the DPC and the Senate Democratic war room.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) will leave her post as chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee to become vice chairman of the revamped policy committee.
 
Sen. Mark Begich (Alaska) will take over as chairman of the steering committee.
 
Senate Republicans unanimously reelected Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), ending speculation that McConnell faced a potential challenge from Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.). Rumors of a DeMint challenge persisted even after he told reporters earlier this year that he would support McConnell.
 
Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and Sen.-elect Marco Rubio (Fla.) nominated McConnell and Republicans chose him to serve his third term as their leader.

Republicans also unanimously voted for Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) to serve another term as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
 
“I appreciate the strong support from all of my Republican colleagues, and especially our 13 new Republican Senators, as we continue our campaign to win back a Senate Republican majority in 2012,” Cornyn said in a statement. “Continuity at the NRSC is something we haven’t had in a while, and which we need to build on our victories in 2010.”
 
Republicans also reelected Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) to serve as minority whip; Sen. John Thune (S.D.) as Republican policy committee chairman; Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) as GOP conference chairman; and Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.) as vice chairman of the GOP conference.

---