Who says the Senate doesn’t have its fair share of drama
From a criminal conviction and new leadership to a vice presidential nominee and party defections, the “world’s greatest deliberative body” was at the forefront of extraordinary political developments this year.
Here are some of the Senate’s biggest moments from 2024.
Menendez convicted
Then-Sen. Bob Menendez was found guilty in July by a Manhattan jury of a yearslong bribery and public corruption scheme.
The New Jersey Democrat was convicted on all 16 federal counts, including extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, bribery, and conspiracy. He was the seventh sitting senator to be convicted of a federal crime but the first to be charged with acting as a foreign agent.
Menendez, a third-term senator who chaired the chamber’s Foreign Relations Committee, accepted lavish gifts such as cash, a luxury car, and 13 gold bars in exchange for steering aid to Egypt, creating a halal meat monopoly, and obstructing criminal investigations.
Menendez maintained his innocence until the bitter end and waited to resign until more than a month after his conviction, allowing him to continue receiving his $174,000 salary. His sentencing date has been delayed until Jan. 29.
Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) is his successor.
McConnell relinquishes leadership post
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the longest-serving Senate party leader, announced his decision in February to step down from leadership in the new Congress.
The 82-year-old suffered several health scares in recent years, including moments in which he froze midsentence while speaking to reporters. The most recent health episode came in December when he suffered a sprained wrist and scratched face from tripping and falling in the Capitol.
McConnell’s exit as leader prompted the first changing of the guard for Senate Republicans since he rose to leader in 2007. His deputy, Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), was chosen among GOP senators to replace him when the new Republican majority is seated on Jan. 3.
McConnell has yet to reveal whether he’ll seek reelection in 2026.
Republicans retake majority
Republicans flipped four seats held by Sens. Joe Manchin (I-WV), Bob Casey (D-PA), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). The current 51-49 Democratic majority will become a 53-47 majority for Republicans.
The power shift came with the ouster of the chamber’s remaining red-state Democrats. Manchin, an independent, still caucused with the Democrats.
Senate Democrats stemmed the bleeding by maintaining battleground seats in Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin despite Vice President Kamala Harris losing all four states.
Manchin ditches Democrats
Manchin left the Democratic Party in May to register with no party affiliation, raising the specter of a possible third-party run for other political offices. He ultimately declined to run for another office and will be retired from Congress when the new session is seated on Jan. 3.
“Today, our national politics are broken, and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin said at the time. “To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.”
Despite the defection, Manchin continued to caucus with Democrats, allowing them to maintain their one-seat majority.
Vance heads to Naval Observatory
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) was tapped as President-elect Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate in July. The first-term senator beat out several other contenders, including Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL).
Vance, 39, served in the Marines and was the youngest vice presidential nominee since President Dwight Eisenhower picked Richard Nixon in 1952.
His rise to vice president in the middle of his term means Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) will select a replacement once Vance resigns from his seat in January.
Fetterman cements himself as Democratic wild card
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) once boasted a celebrity status among Democrats. But that’s no longer the case after two years in Congress of beefing with the Left.
The staunch, unapologetic defender of Israel has created a lane of his own in the Democratic Party as a wild card. The populist has shifted right since taking office and has, on occasion, sided with Republicans on matters such as border security, Trump’s nominees, Trump’s hush money criminal conviction in New York, plans to create a Department of Government Efficiency, and President Joe Biden pardoning his son Hunter.
FETTERMAN EMBRACES SECOND TRUMP TERM AS BIDEN LEAVES OFFICE
Fetterman even joined Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.
“I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. Senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees,” Fetterman posted after meeting with several of Trump’s Cabinet nominees. “My votes will come from an open-mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job.”
