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Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., was “adamant” he would perform President-elect Trump’s agenda as chief as he made his case to GOP senators earlier than they chose him to succeed Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Wednesday.
“I’ll simply say that Sen. Thune mentioned time and again and time and again on this lengthy assembly that he was 100% behind President Trump — 100% behind his agenda,” mentioned Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
“He was adamant about it.”
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Thune was “adamant” about supporting Trump’s agenda as chief, one senator mentioned. (Reuters)
Hawley famous that he didn’t vote for Thune, as a substitute publicly endorsing Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
“However I’ll maintain him to that pledge,” Hawley mentioned of Thune.
The incoming Republican Senate majority chief’s insistence to his convention that he could be a pressure for Trump’s agenda within the higher chamber got here as an air of concern existed in Washington, D.C., relating to whether or not Thune and the president-elect had really mended their beforehand fractured relationship.
However Republicans of all stripes expressed levels of confidence in him to take action after the management elections.
Sen. Invoice Hagerty, R-Tenn., an ally of Trump who publicly backed Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., to be the subsequent Republican chief, informed Fox Information Digital, “I feel it’s extremely clear that that is going to be a convention for all of us. He is going to do that by consensus with us.”
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Thune received the chief race Wednesday. (Getty Pictures)
Sen.-elect Jim Banks, R-Ind., one other prime Trump ally, emphasised, “Sen. Thune may be very supportive of President Trump and his agenda. And, most significantly, the Senate majority is simply too. So, I am very optimistic.”
Considered one of Thune’s prime advocates within the chief race was an early endorser, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who additionally occurs to be near Trump. “I do know President Trump, and I do know Thune has personally — they’ve visited a number of occasions,” he informed reporters after Thune received the election.
“They’re at a great place with one another. There is no rift between them,” Mullin mentioned, including the 2 had been on “the identical web page.
“I’ve no considerations about their relationship in any respect.”
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Mullin has a detailed relationship with Trump. (Markwayne Mullin for Senate )
Trump by no means publicly weighed in on the GOP chief race regardless of plenty of vocal figures in his orbit selecting to get behind Scott, who was thought-about by some to be extra aligned with Trump’s “MAGA” ideology.
Billionaire and X proprietor Elon Musk, who Trump has mentioned might be part of his administration, had endorsed Scott and criticized Thune, claiming he was the candidate Democrats had been supporting.
Whereas Trump did not difficulty an endorsement, it did not cease observers from speculating he was supporting Scott for the position. Nevertheless, Trump may need truly been backing Thune in personal. Two sources acquainted with the scenario, together with a senator within the room in the course of the chief election, informed Fox Information Digital that Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Steve Daines, R-Mont., insinuated forward of the elections that Trump could have been privately backing Thune.
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Daines gave one of many nominating speeches for Thune earlier than the key poll vote Wednesday.
When initially contacted relating to the claims, Daines’ workplace informed Fox Information Digital he informed his Republican colleagues, “Trump likes Thune.” After publication, Daines’ deputy communications director, Rachel Dumke, denied the senator steered Trump had been backing Thune.
“This anonymously sourced story is fake. Sen. Daines informed his colleagues that President Trump likes Sen. Thune, however he by no means mentioned he endorsed him. If President Trump endorsed in that race, everyone would have identified about it,” she mentioned in a press release.
Mullin was assured Thune would lead in another way than McConnell. (Drew Angerer/Getty Pictures)
Comparable criticisms to Musk’s had been lobbed on social media, along with claims Thune would replicate the management McConnell showcased throughout his tenure.
However Mullin argued in opposition to these options.
“His management may be very completely different,” he mentioned. “I imply, Thune is somebody that includes the convention earlier than he comes to a decision.”
In line with the Oklahoma Republican, Thune might be concerned in participating the convention like a group and making choices like a “play name.”
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“Not everyone could agree with the play name,” he warned, “however the majority of the Republicans might be on board earlier than we decide to maneuver ahead.”
Thune’s workplace declined to remark to Fox Information Digital.
Julia Johnson is a politics author for Fox Information Digital and Fox Enterprise, main protection of the U.S. Senate. She was beforehand a politics reporter on the Washington Examiner.
Comply with Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and ship tricks to [email protected].
Thune ‘adamant’ about Trump assist, driving MAGA agenda regardless of tense previous relationship
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