Trent Lott (R-MS) served as majority leader going forward. Bush was sworn in, Vice President Dick Cheney (R) became the tie-breaking vote, so Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) served as the majority leader until Inauguration Day. Because Vice President Al Gore (D) could serve as the tie-breaking vote, Sen. For example, the last 50-50 Senate split occurred during the 107th Congress (2001-2003), which began in the closing weeks of President Bill Clinton’s administration.In cases where the Senate is evenly divided, the majority leader is determined by the party of the sitting vice president, who has the ability to cast a tie-breaking vote on the Senate floor in favor of their party’s position.The leader of whichever party holds a majority then serves as the majority leader.
Before a new Congress convenes, members of the Democratic and Republican conferences meet and vote to elect a leader to represent their parties on the Senate floor as majority and minority leaders.How is the Senate majority leader chosen?
While the Constitution specifically establishes the role of the speaker and tasks the full House with voting to elect them, the origins of and selection process for the Senate majority is quite different.The Senate majority leader and speaker of the House are the two most significant lawmakers in Congress because they control the agenda on the floors of their respective chambers in the vast majority of circumstances.