Senate Republicans on Tuesday suspended the leadership contest after two hours of deliberations as conservative lawmakers pressed Majority Leader John Thune for a plan to advance their conference's priorities until the end of December, after which Democrats take control of the chamber.

Thune hopes to hold leadership elections this afternoon and the pause does not mean that the chamber will delay the proceedings.

“We haven’t decided whether it’s going to be delayed," he said, according to The Hill newspaper. We had a conversation and more people wanted to speak."

At least seven Senate Republicans have asked that votes be delayed, in part, also, to reflect on how their party lost so badly to Democrats during last week's midterm elections.  

Among them is Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson who has vowed to walkout on balloting. 

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.