Senator Mitch McConnell has been re-elected by fellow Republicans to head their party's delegation in the U.S. Senate. Senator Harry Reid won re-election as the leader of Senate Democrats.
But since the Republicans won a majority of the seats in the Senate during last week's general election, McConnell becomes Senate majority leader when the new Congress convenes in January, and Reid will become minority leader.
McConnell has represented the state of Kentucky for 30 years. As majority leader, he will set the Senate's agenda in the final two years of President Barack Obama's term.
Reid has represented the state of Nevada since 1987 and was elected Democratic leader in 2004.
Republicans also control the House of Representatives, where John Boehner of the state of Ohio is speaker.
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California is expected to be elected to a new term as House Democratic leader when the rank-and-file meets next week.
