The South Dakota Republican failed in his first try for the Senate but came back to defeat a chamber leader. Now he will be the leader himself.

© Tom Brenner for The New York Times

The South Dakota Republican failed in his first try for the Senate but came back to defeat a chamber leader. Now he will be the leader himself.

© Tom Brenner for The New York Times

Senator John Thune of South Dakota emerged victorious over a right-wing, MAGA-backed challenge from Senator Rick Scott of Florida.

© Tom Brenner for The New York Times

Rick Scott, who would have agreed to Trump’s idea of bypassing the Senate for nominations, lost his bid to become leader.

The president-elect is to visit Capitol Hill on Wednesday as Republican senators elect a majority leader. His staffing decisions are already depleting the narrow majority the G.O.P. expects in the House.

© Scott McIntyre for The New York Times

Advisers to the president-elect, who already has a strong hold on congressional Republicans, want him to tighten his grip by torpedoing the bid of the establishment front-runner for the post.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times