Ron Johnson's Delay Push Won't Topple Thune. Here's What It Tells You About Senate Republicans.

A five-signature letter is forcing a conversation before Tuesday's leadership vote. The leader is unopposed — but the conference wants answers about what went wrong.

By Clara Hughes

Senate Republicans are scheduled to elect their leaders for the next Congress on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota is running for minority leader, and no one has stepped forward to challenge him. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin wants to hit pause anyway. Johnson obtained the five signatures needed Friday to request a meeting of the Senate Republican Conference to discuss postponing the leadership election, Just the News reported. In a letter addressed to Conference Chairman Tom Cotton of Arkansas and obtained by the Washington Examiner, Johnson called it “political malpractice” to move forward with closed-door elections so soon after a “stunning defeat.” “It is certainly not the way leadership elections should be conducted in the world’s greatest deliberative body,” Johnson wrote. Keep reading with Altas Premium. Below: who signed on, what Johnson actually wants, why Thune