question: How did the Senate Majority Leader come to wield as much power as they do now?
comment: The Senate Majority Leader isn't an official Constitutional position. It's different from Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, or President Pro Tempore, which are all official Constitutional positions. Instead, the Senate Majority Leader is an unofficial party position that gets its power from the support of other Senators. So say there's a prison gang. They vote on a leader. The gang leader doesn't have an official role at the prison. But the other prisoners listen to him and do what he says. That gives the gang leader power. In the same way, Mitch McConnell has power because the 52 other Republican Senators agree to listen to him. If McConnell tells them to vote one way or another, they often do it. The reason why is that they know that if they unite under a single Republican, they are more likely to be able to pass laws that they like than if they split up.
passages: The post of Senate Majority Leader was also created during the Wilson presidency. Before this time, a "Senate leader" was usually a committee chairman, or a person of great eloquence, seniority, or wealth, such as Daniel Webster and Nelson Aldrich. However, despite this new, formal leadership structure, the Senate leader initially had virtually no power, other than priority of recognition from the presiding officer. Since the Democrats were fatally divided into northern liberal and southern conservative blocs, the Democratic leader had even less power than his title suggested.
   Prior to World War II, Senate majority leader had few formal powers. But in 1937, the rule giving majority leader right of first recognition was created. With the addition of this rule, the Senate majority leader enjoyed far greater control over the agenda of which bills to be considered on the floor.
  
  During Lyndon Baines Johnson's tenure as Senate leader, the leader gained new powers over committee assignments.
  
  In 1971 Paulette Desell was appointed by Senator Jacob K. Javits as the Senate's first female page.
  
  In 2009 Kathie Alvarez became the Senate's first female legislative clerk.
  
  Section::::See also.
   Section::::U.S. Senate (1985–present).:Leadership.
   For a majority, Republicans needed at least 51 seats. Democrats could have retained a majority with 48 seats (assuming the two Independents continued to caucus with them) because the Democratic Vice President Joe Biden would become the tie-breaker. From 1915 to 2013, control of the U.S. Senate flipped in 10 of 50 cycles, or 20% of the time.
   This election marked the first time Republicans controlled the Senate since January 1987, and coincided with the first change of control in the House of Representatives since January 1955 and a Republican net gain of ten governorships. Collectively, these Republican gains are known as the "Republican Revolution." This was also the first time since 1980 that Republicans made net gains in the Senate, but the last time the Republicans also made gains among class 1 senators.
  
  Initially, the balance was 52–48 in favor of the Republicans, but after the power change, two Democrats switched parties, bringing the balance to 54–46.
   Democrats began the practice of electing floor leaders in 1920 while they were in the minority. John W. Kern was a Democratic Senator from Indiana. While the title was not official, he is considered to be the first Senate party leader from 1913 through 1917 (and in turn, the first Senate Democratic Leader), while serving concurrently as Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. In 1925 the majority (at the time) Republicans also adopted this language when Charles Curtis became the first (official) Majority Leader, although his immediate predecessor Henry Cabot Lodge is considered the first (unofficial) Senate Majority Leader.
   From statehood through 1972, the lieutenant governor served as president of the Senate. In 1972, voters approved a constitutional amendment that provided for the Senate to elect its own president beginning January 1973. The majority leader is responsible for managing and scheduling the business of the Senate and serves as the leader of their caucus.
  
  Section::::Minnesota Senate Building.
   In many past "rigodons" of the Senate or the so-called Senate "coups", sometimes the Minority leader becomes the President and the ousted President becomes the minority leader.
  
  The basic duties of the Minority leader is that he becomes the spokesman for his party or group or coalition and enunciates its policies. He is expected to be alert and vigilant in defense of the minority's rights. It is his function and duty to criticize constructively the policies and programs of the majority, and to this end employ parliamentary tactics and give close attention to all proposed legislation.
   In the modern Senate, the second in command is the Majority leader. His primary responsibility is to manage the legislative affairs and the business for the part of the majority in the chamber.
  
  He is chosen by the majority party in the Senate to serve as their official leader in the body.
  
  While nothing in the Rules of the Senate expressly states the powers of the Majority leader, to a great extent, he is very influential in the passage of bills.
   The first Majority leader of the Senate after its restoration on July 27, 1987 was Orlando S. Mercado while the first Minority leader of the Senate was Juan Ponce Enrile.
  
  On July 26, 2004, Francis Pangilinan was re-elected by his party to serve as their Majority leader after he served a short term when then Senator Loren Legarda left the majority and allied with the opposition to run for Vice President against then Senator Noli De Castro in the 2004 national elections.
  
  Section::::Majority leader of the Senate.
   Together, the Senate Republicans and the IDC held enough seats to form a governing majority; that majority was augmented when freshman Sen. Simcha Felder of Brooklyn, a Democrat, chose to join the Senate Republican Conference. Also, former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith joined the Independent Democrats, only to be expelled from the conference in April 2013 due to a scandal in which Smith attempted to bribe the Republican Party chairs in New York City for a Wilson Pakula to run in the upcoming New York City mayoral election. (The previous Senate Minority Leader, Sen. John L. Sampson, was expelled from his conference on May 6, 2013 following his arrest on embezzlement charges. Sampson was later convicted for making false statements to federal agents in relation to the initial embezzlement case.) 
   Before this time, a President pro tempore was elected only in case of vacancy (the President pro tem acting as lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term), or if the lieutenant governor was absent. In practice, this new arrangement transferred much power from the lieutenant governor to the President pro tempore, whose political position became comparable to that of the Speaker of the New York State Assembly.
   Section::::Recent history.:2013–2014 election cycle.
  
  In 2013, 21 Democrats were up for either reelection or election to complete the six-year term. In order to have a majority, the Republicans were required to attain at least 51 seats in the Senate. The Democrats would have been able to retain a majority with 48 seats (assuming the two Independents continued to caucus with them) because, in event of a tie vote, Vice President Joe Biden becomes the tie-breaker. Many of the incumbents were elected in the Democratic wave year of 2008 along with President Obama's first election.
   The Florida Senate majority leader is elected by Florida State senators in the political party holding the largest number of seats in the Senate. Since 1996, Republicans have held the majority in the Florida Senate. While the responsibilities vary depending upon the political climate, the Florida Senate majority leader is responsible for political activities, enabling the caucus to fully participate in the governmental process. 
  
  The 2016-2018 Florida Senate Majority Office leadership team consists of:
  
  BULLET::::- Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson
  
  BULLET::::- Senate Deputy Majority Leader Kelli Stargel
  
  Section::::See also.
  
  BULLET::::- Florida Democratic Party
  
  BULLET::::- Florida Legislature
  
  BULLET::::- Florida Senate
   By rule, the Presiding Officer gives the Majority Leader priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate. The Majority Leader customarily serves as the chief representative of their party in the Senate, and sometimes even in all of Congress if the House of Representatives and thus the office of Speaker of the House is controlled by the opposition party.
   Democrat Carol Moseley Braun (of Illinois), became the first African-American woman in the United States Senate.
  
  Section::::1994 elections.
  
  The elections were held November 8, 1994. Republicans were able to take control of the Senate from the Democrats. In a midterm election, the opposition Republicans held the traditional advantage. Congressional Republicans campaigned against the early presidency of Bill Clinton, including his unsuccessful health care plan.
   The MCC's two Democratic members were given leadership positions: Rodney Tom was Senate Majority Leader, Tim Sheldon (MCC) was the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate. Republican Mark Schoesler headed the Senate Republican Caucus, which continued to operate even while all its members belong as well to the MCC.
  
  The election of Republican Jan Angel in 2013 to the Senate gave the MCC 26 of the 49 seats. Rodney Tom characterized this as an "exponential" increase in the coalition's leverage.
  
  Section::::Responses.
   Floor leaders of the Senate of the Philippines
  
  The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders (also called as Senate Floor Leaders) are the two Senators of the Philippines who are elected by their respective parties or coalitions as their official leaders. They serve as the chief spokesmen of their party with regard to their business in the Senate.
  
  Section::::Current floor leaders.
  
  The current Majority Leader of the Senate of the Philippines is Juan Miguel Zubiri of PDP–Laban, who has held the office of Majority Leader since May 21, 2018. His term will expire on June 30, 2019.
  
  Section::::History.
   This election marked the first time Republicans controlled the Senate since January 1987, and coincided with the first change of control in the House of Representatives since January 1955 and a Republican net gain of ten governorships. Collectively, these Republican gains are known as the Republican Revolution. Minority leader Robert J. Dole became Majority Leader, while on the Democratic side, Tom Daschle became Minority Leader after the retirement of the previous Democratic leader, George J. Mitchell. This was also the first time since 1980 that Republicans made net gains in the Senate, but the last time until 2018 the Republicans also made gains among class 1 senators.
   The precedent of 1913–14 caused some confusion after the death of Lt. Gov. Thomas W. Wallace in 1943. It was unclear if the Majority Leader had to give up his post upon becoming acting lieutenant governor, and if such an acting lieutenant governor became President of the Senate for the remainder of the unexpired term.
   In 1890–1910 a handful of Republicans controlled the chamber, led by Nelson Aldrich (Rhode Island), Orville H. Platt (Connecticut), John Coit Spooner (Wisconsin), William Boyd Allison (Iowa), along with national party leader Mark Hanna (Ohio). Aldrich designed all the major tax and tariff laws of the early 20th century, including the Federal reserve system. Among the Democrats Arthur Pue Gorman of Maryland stood out.
   Section::::Recent history.:2011–2012 election cycle.
  
  In 2012, 23 Democratic Senate seats were available, as opposed to 10 Republican seats. An increase of four seats would have given the GOP a Senate majority. In the election, three GOP seats and one Democratic seat was lost, increasing the Democratic majority by two.
   Trent Lott led the Senate Republicans through this election cycle and was due to become the new Senate Majority Leader upon the retaking of control of the Senate by the Republicans. However, Lott's controversial praise for Strom Thurmond's Dixiecrat presidential campaign at Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration led to Lott stepping down from Senate leadership and resulted in Bill Frist being selected as the new Senate Majority Leader.
  
  This was the only election cycle ever where the party of the incumbent President gained new control of a house of Congress in a midterm election.
   This election marked the first time since 2000 in which the party in opposition to the elected or reelected presidential candidate made net gains in the Senate, with both cases being a Republican president and Democratic gains in the Senate. 
  
  With the retirement of Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer became the Democratic leader after the elections, while Mitch McConnell retained his position as Senate Majority Leader.
  
  Section::::Results summary.
   BULLET::::- Ritchie, Donald A. "Reporting from Washington: The History of the Washington Press Corps" Oxford University Press, 2005.
  
  BULLET::::- Swift, Elaine K. "The Making of an American Senate: Reconstitutive Change in Congress, 1787–1841". U. of Michigan Press, 1996.
  
  BULLET::::- Valeo, Frank. "Mike Mansfield, Majority Leader: A Different Kind of Senate, 1961–1976" Sharpe, 1999. Senate majority leader.
  
  BULLET::::- Weller, Cecil Edward, Jr. "Joe T. Robinson: Always a Loyal Democrat." U. of Arkansas Press, 1998. Majority leader in the 1930s
  
  BULLET::::- Wirls, Daniel and Wirls, Stephen. "The Invention of the United States Senate" Johns Hopkins U. Press, 2004.
  