And Im Scandinavian, so the glass is always half empty. He downplayed any conflict with Cornyn, whom he said is his friend. They don't see what goes on behind the scenes, the organization, the planning, getting people to work together.". The Washington Post found a handful of other GOP candidates including Rep. Mo Brooks, the Trump-backed candidate in Alabama who were noncommittal, refusing to say whether they'd back McConnell or not. McConnell confirmed on Tuesday that hell seek to remain GOP Senate leader after Novembers midterms. Thune earned Trumps ire a year ago for publicly dismissing his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. But as one Senate Republican put it, the potential competition between the two sets up a really difficult choice for the conference. Those term limits, however, do not apply to the top leader. He has Hes served on diverse committees. And timing could be everything: Thune is subject to the same six-year term limits as whip that rotated Cornyn out of the spot. CNN On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell went public with what has long been suspected: He has no plans to leave the Senate even if his party loses its majority in November. The filing deadline was January 25, 2022. As long as he is in the Senate, hes going to want to be the leader, in the minority or the majority, Braun said. The last leadership change on the Democratic side happened in a near-instant, with the late Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announcing his retirement and immediately endorsing Sen. Chuck Schumer to succeed him. But in another respect, Romneys just like any politician: He wants to win. Thune has accrued internal support with the help of personal dinners, massive financial transfers to the party committee and his role as current party whip. So Im convinced that if I run, I win. He called Thune an "outstanding senator" in a radio interview in late December. WebThe Trump Archive collects TV news shows containing debates, speeches, rallies, and other broadcasts related to Donald Trump, before, during and after his presidency. Sen. John Thune questions U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai as she testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 12, 2021. Im running for the US Senate to stand up for you, just like when I stood next to President Trump and supported his American First agenda, said Jane Timken, the former chair of the Ohio Republican Party who announced Thursday she would seek the states open Senate seat in 2022. But Noem dismissed any bid for Senate and is running for reelection as governor. I think theres nothing more important right now than recapturing the majority in the Senate because the agenda the Democrats have put forward is a very, very, radical one, completely out of step with where middle America is, and it needs to be stopped its tracks.". He understands the variety of personalities that he needs to deal with, Collins said. Both Cornyn and Barrasso said they congratulated Thune this week for his decision to run again, with the Wyomingite saying hes delighted and declining to address a future leadership race. GOP senators say they dont know of any Republican senator who plans to challenge McConnell for the top Republican leadership slot in the Senate despite his rocky relationship with Trump, who remains popular with Republican base voters. Romneys ultimate decision on reelection will say far more about the state of the Republican Party than any other safe red seat. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol on September 28, 2022. ", Former President Trump speaks at a rally on Sept. 25, 2021, in Perry, Georgia. Two Trump-backed Senate candidates have said they won't support Mitch McConnell for majority leader, which has the potential to make a real difference. Kristi Noem to launch a primary challenge against him. Thune and Cornyn arent asking for anyones support, and both say they theyll support McConnell as long as the Kentuckian is in office. Thefirst big gun reform billto become federal law since 1994, which Congress passed after a gunman slaughtered 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. Cornyn has as well. Thanks to Democrats' victory, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is lined up to keep setting the agenda instead. But he caught flack from former President Donald Trump after the 2020 election. Several GOP senators have decided to exit this cycle. THE SIX BIGGEST CAMPAIGN QUESTIONS OF 2022, Thune noted that "the overall political landscape, political environment, that youre in" weighed on his electoral decision and acknowledged that Trumps continued dominance within the GOP "plays into the things that were going to be able to do around here is certainly a factor. And Romneys self-deprecating sense of humor stands out in the stuffy chamber. Thunes pursuit of a fourth term, however, has left the Senate GOP newly abuzz over who might take the reins post-McConnell, since political trajectories can change in an instant in the Senate. 3 Senate GOP leader whom Republicans believe is likely to ascend to the whip job first as Cornyn and Thune compete to succeed McConnell. McConnell has long stressed electability as the most important trait for his candidates. ), the No. The 61-year-old Thune, a former congressman who defeated then-Senate Democratic leader Sen. Tom Daschle in 2004, could have some competition down the road in the race to succeed McConnell. | Trump successfully chilled FBI from being willing to investigate anything What Bidens FHA mortgage fee cut means for buyers. The closed-door, secret-ballot vote was held in the Old Senate Chamber, an ornate semicircular room in the Capitol where lawmakers met prior to the Civil War. In theory, this could prove to be trivial, especially if far-right candidates balking at McConnell come up short in primaries or in general elections. But over the past year hes also found himself at odds with former President Trump because of the former presidents push for GOP lawmakers to try to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which Trump and some of his closest allies have falsely claimed was rigged or stolen., Thune warned that a long-shot effort to throw out the Electoral College results in Congress would go down like a shot dog.. Anybody who wants to run for it can feel free to do so. Where Thune can be low-key, Cornyn brings a more pugnacious style that leads some other Republicans to see him as a natural successor to McConnell. No one understands the Senate better than he does, Sen. John Thune, the No. He's also the bestselling author of "The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics.". Ive faced long odds: Getting the nomination in 2012 was a long shot, becoming a Republican governor in one of the most liberal states in America, Massachusetts. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota says the eventual possibility of succeeding longtime Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell in steering Republicans in the chamber was "a factor" in his decision to run for reelection this year. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday said he's optimistic about the 2022 midterm elections for Republicans. Those term limits, however, do not apply to the top leader. McConnell was elected to a seventh Senate term in 2020 by a nearly 20-point margin over Democrat Amy McGrath and won't be up for reelection until 2026. In fact, McConnell noted in a January 2021 interview that he'd "still be one of the Big Four," saying: "When you end up in a big negotiation at the end of the year, each of the four of us have a veto power over what goes in and what doesn't.". | ", But he asked and answered his own question, saying, "Was his potential influence in my race a factor? But it's not as if Barack Obama was actively involved in a campaign to destroy Schumer. also backed another Romney run and is planning to meet with him soon to discuss his plans. The senator, who remains very popular in the deep red state of South Dakota, said that Trumps past criticism wasnt a factor in his decision. Part of HuffPost Politics. They can't block everything, though. The other GOP senators who did not respond: Sens. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who chairs the Senate GOP campaign arm, quickly formally endorsed Thune on Saturday, saying in a statement that South Dakotans are lucky to have a conservative fighter like John Thune working for them in the Senate.. "I have not heard anybody say anything negative," he added. When Mitch McConnell steps down as Senate GOP leader, which wont happen anytime soon, John is sure to replace him. Sens. Some senators think McConnells set to stay around as leader until the end of his Senate career, regardless of Trumps relentless attacks on him and calls for new leadership. Still, should he run, Romney cant expect unified backing from the Senate Republican conference. And as Cornyn put it: I try to always be prepared., Sen. Mike Mansfields record for leadership longevity, agonized for nearly a year over running again, last leadership change on the Democratic side happened, massive financial transfers to the party committee. But McConnell, who will turn 80 in February, made clear on Tuesday that he doesn't plan to step down from the Senate Republican leader's job anytime soon, despite Trump's pressure. Leader McConnell has my full support and confidence. 2 Senate Republican and a close ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), on Saturday announced he will run for reelection in 2022. "It was really about that. Trump is flirting with running again in 2024 and continues to maintain a fierce grip on the party. Its kind of like being a head coach in football, people look at sometimes the outward statements. It shows his strength, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who voted for McConnell, said of Wednesdays election. People assumed that Mitch McConnell will be up for re-election in 2022 following his election in 2020, which he won. ", Looking to the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, Thune predicted "that well have a candidate emerge that can really take hold out there and speak to the issues that are important to the American people and become a standard-bearer for the Republican Party that will put right-center, conservative solutions on the table to address the challenges and problems the country faces. Senate.". or redistributed. Then he cut a series of bipartisan deals that upset the right. Beyond the electoral math, theres another factor for Romney to consider: Just what can the Senate do during the next two years of divided government? Then senator said, "I never rule anything out" but quickly added that "it's not something at this point that I aspire to. Im really pleasantly surprised that this was not a lot of sitting around and wringing hands. 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