Capito elected to U.S. Senate leadership position

U.S. Senator Senator Shelley Moore Capito was elected Wednesday to the fourth highest leadership position in GOP-controlled Senate.

Capito is the new chair of the Republican Policy Committee.

South Dakota Senator John Thune was elected majority leader while Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton will serve as conference chair; Oklahoma Senator James Lankford, will serve as the vice chair of the conference; and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, will serve as the senatorial committee chair.

“Congratulations to our new leader, John Thune. He will be a strong voice, as he has been in the past as the minority whip, and I look forward to serving with him and all of the members of the leadership team,” Capito said. “I want to thank the others who ran; we had a strong, healthy discussion and we’ve all come out united and friends.”

Capito thanked Ohio Senator and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance for participating in the voting process but also for being there to affirm the leadership direction selected by Republicans.

“To make sure the direction we’re going to go as a united conference, with me leading the policy issues and all of us working together, we’re going to have a united voice,” Capito said.

Capito said voters had many concerns at the polls this election, but none bigger than the economy. The Democratic campaign frustrated voters with continued claims about the strength of the economy when their purchasing power was being eroded by inflation.

“What I think the biggest issue was, and there are big ones—the border, national security, and others,” Capito said. “It is literally the American family, mom, dad, grandmother, whoever it is—going to the grocery store.”

Capito pledged that policies in the coming years will address those concerns and continue to listen to the people.

“So, we hear those voices, and we hear them loud and clear,” Capito said. “And those are the voices we’re going to respond to along with President Trump for the next several years.”

Capito will be chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.