Senator John Thune, the second in command to Senator Mitch McConnell, hints at possibly running for the position of Senate Republican leader.
According to interviews on Monday, Sen. John Thune, the second-ranking Senate Republican, suggested interest in becoming the Senate GOP leader and potentially taking over for Sen. Mitch McConnell.
In an interview with KELOLAND News from South Dakota, Thune stated that his goal is to become the next leader. He is determined to persuade his colleagues, who ultimately hold the power to decide.
“The current leader is McConnell.” announced
The previous week, he announced that he will resign from his position following the November elections.
During an interview with Dakota News Now, Thune expressed his interest in the position, but noted that the leadership election will not take place until after the general election in November. He stated that he is currently meeting with his Senate colleagues to discuss their expectations for the future leader.
He expressed that any change presents an opportunity for a fresh start. To him, this is a prime opportunity for a reset and he would like to be involved.
Thune, 63, has served as the Republican whip since 2021. The South Dakota Republican was first elected to the chamber in 2004, after three terms in the House. He’s one of at least three senators
Those who have been widely considered as potential substitutes for a long time.
Last week, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas became the first to announce
He is campaigning for the leading position in the GOP. Senator John Barrasso from Wyoming is also likely to run. Thune is seen as the front-runner for leader among many on Capitol Hill due to his experience with McConnell and previous support in the conference.
Thune stated that he is ready to take charge in spearheading a new era of unwavering, principled conservative leadership in the Senate. However, he refrained from formally declaring his candidacy. CBS News contacted Thune’s office for a statement but has not yet received a reply.
At least two Senate Republicans have already made their support for Thune’s likely leadership bid clear. Appearing on the Sunday talk shows this week, both Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota indicated that they would support Thune should he launch a bid for leader.
However, an external variable may heavily influence the competition, and that is no other than former President Donald Trump. Among the three senators expected to take the lead in the race for leader, Thune is viewed as the most moderate. In the past month, he joined the rest of GOP leadership in endorsing Trump’s run for the White House, with the exception of McConnell who remains the only holdout among top leadership.
Kaia Hubbard
Source: cbsnews.com