Senator Tommy Norment (R-James City) will remain majority leader of the state senate after a Republican caucus vote today in Portsmouth.
Norment was forced to compromise from being both the leader and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Instead, Norment is said to be relinquishing some of his leadership duties to Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) and will co-chair Finance with State Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Augusta). There was a threat of a challenge absent these concessions.
A Senate Republican press release details the new leadership:
Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment, Jr. (R-James City) will continue to serve as Senate Republican Leader. Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ryan T. McDougle (R-Hanover) will continue in that role. Senator Mark D. Obenshain (R-Rockingham) will serve as Senate Republican Caucus Co-Chairman. Senator William M. Stanley, Jr. (R-Franklin) was elected as Senate Majority Whip.
Senator Stephen D. Newman (R-Bedford) will be the Caucus’s candidate for Senate President Pro Tempore when the Senate convenes on January 13, 2016.
It’s notable that Obenshain is now a caucus co-chair.
House Speaker William Howell congratulated the leadership team and said, “The Republican caucus in the House of Delegates looks forward to working with all 21 Republican senators in the 2016 General Assembly as we look to provide practical, conservative solutions to the challenges Virginians face every day.”
