Patty Murray Picked For Major Senate Leadership Role

SEATTLE — Sen. Patty Murray is expected to begin her sixth term in the U.S. Senate serving as the chamber's president pro tempore, becoming the first woman to hold the position, according to The Seattle Times.

As mandated in the Constitution, the president pro tem presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President and takes on additional administrative responsibilities. The position is third in the line of succession, behind only the Vice President and speaker of the House.

Murray secured a sixth term in Congress earlier this month, leading Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley by nearly 15 points in the latest returns. Serving since 1992, the Bothell native will be one of America's longest-serving senators by the end of her next term.

The Seattle Times reports Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer nominated Murray for the role Wednesday to replace retiring Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy. Democrats will formally vote on Murray's nomination in early December. The senator is also expected to chair the Senate Appropriations Committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress.

Also on Wednesday, Senate Republicans reelected Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to continue on as minority leader.