The Majority
Leader of a political organization is the appointed leader of its majority party. Each party has a leader, and whichever
party has the most members serving at any point in time is known as the majority party. Party leaders are elected by their fellow members in that party. The main function of the Majority Leader is to arrange affairs and be the major
spokesman for the majority party. The Majority Leader is one of the most powerful positions in the United States
Senate.
The U.S. Senate always has a Majority Leader and a Minority Leader, also known as the Floor Leaders. The Floor Leaders are an invention of the 20th century, as the first Floor Leaders were appointed in the 1920's. Senate Majority Leaders don't really command much more than Minority Leaders do. It is the party itself that has the majority which is the dominant force, and that is why Majority Leaders are considered more powerful. One ace in the hole that Majority Leaders have is the right to first recognition when a bill is being discussed. This ability to make the first comment can have a major influence. Despite the power of the job, Majority Leaders can do very little to ensure that they will keep their position. Every election year, there is a possibility that the majority party will change. In that event, the roles of Minority Leader and Majority Leader are switched.
The office of Senate Majority Leader has proven to be an extremely important office in the American government. Memorable past Senate Majority Leaders include Alben Barkley, Lyndon Johnson, Bob Dole, and Mike Mansfield. Past Senate Majority Leaders have run for and have been elected to the office of Vice President. Presumably, after the experience of being a key leader in the Senate, the next step is to become its presiding officer.