Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has taken a step up the Republican Senate hierarchy by being elected to chair the Senate Republican Policy Committee by her GOP colleagues.
Her new role effectively makes her the fourth-ranking Senate Republican, one step above her current role as vice chairwoman of the same committee — a role she has held for the past two years. Capito was uncontested in her bid to become Policy Committee chairwoman. “With President Trump back in the White House and a Republican-led Congress, we have the responsibility to promote and advance conservative, Republican policies within our conference,” Capito said. “I look forward to working in this new leadership role to help build consensus with my colleagues in many of these conservative principles that Senate Republicans — now in the majority — can implement in the new Congress.” Capito’s new position with the Republican leadership team was announced Wednesday after a closed-door meeting of the Senate Republican Conference on Tuesday, during which votes on leadership positions were taken. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., was chosen to lead the Senate Republican caucus, fending off challenges from Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Texas Sen. John Cornyn. Thune replaces retiring Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell. On Wednesday, Capito said Thune, the former Republican whip, “will be a strong voice, as he has been in the past,” and said the meeting that led to the new GOP leadership changes included “a really strong and healthy discussion,” from which participants emerged “united and friends.” Capito replaces Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, in the new leadership role. “We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us following this successful election cycle, and we have the tools to meet the challenges,” Capito said. “I am committed to doing my part as the next RPC chair to help lead our conference to achieve this goal and I look forward to working with my colleagues to help communicate our optimistic and conservative vision for the future.”