Cornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate.

Sen. John Cornyn's bid to lead the Senate Republicans falls short, and lacked support from his fellow Texan in the upper chamber.

Cornyn, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002, has long sought to be Senate Majority Leader, the first from Texas since Lyndon B. Johnson.