Jan 13, 2025 - Politics & Policy
Thune's inner circle
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune has picked four senators to form his kitchen cabinet — an inner circle of advisers outside of elected leadership.
- Why it matters: A new leader means new alliances — and new voices with influence.
Thune's kitchen cabinet:
- Steve Daines of Montana — who helped give Thune his majority as NRSC chair.
- Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, a vocal supporter of Thune's leadership bid from the start.
- John Cornyn of Texas, who ran against Thune for leader.
- Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, who was praised for leading the effort of re-writing the RNC platform last year — in a Trump-like style.
P.S. 💨 Ahead of Thune's regular leadership meeting tonight, a fireplace in his office created a real-life smoke-filled room.
Zoom out: The unofficial advisory board are invited to join the elected Senate GOP leadership team in regular Monday meetings.
- Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming
- GOP conference chair Tom Cotton of Arkansas
- Policy chair Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
- Vice chair of policy James Lankford of Oklahoma
- NRSC chair Tim Scott of South Carolina
— Stef Kight
