<P> The Assistant Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate (commonly called Senate Majority and Minority Whips) are the second - ranking members of each party's leadership . The main function of the Majority and Minority Whips is to gather votes on major issues . Because they are the second ranking members of the Senate, if there is no floor leader present, the whip may become acting floor leader . Before 1969, the official titles were Majority Whip and Minority Whip . </P> <P> The Senate is currently composed of 52 Republicans, 46 Democrats, and 2 independents, both of whom caucus with the Democrats . </P> <P> The current leaders are long - time Senators Mitch McConnell (R) from Kentucky and Chuck Schumer (D) from New York . The current Assistant Leaders / Whips are long - time Senators John Cornyn (R) from Texas and Dick Durbin (D) from Illinois . </P> <P> The 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 . </P>

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