John Thune snags 2 extra endorsements in aggressive GOP chief race to prevail McConnell

FIRST ON FOX: Senate Minority Tug John Thune, R-S.D., received two endorsements within the Senate Republican chief race, as each North Dakota Sens. Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven threw their aid at the back of him.

Cramer shall be balloting for Thune within the first undisclosed poll on Wednesday morning.

“I told both Rick Scott and John Cornyn today that I’ll be casting my first vote for John Thune,” the North Dakota senator mentioned in an unique interview with Fox Information Virtual. 

Thune is competing in opposition to Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., to prevail Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as Republican chief within the higher chamber. McConnell is the longest-serving celebration chief in Senate historical past. 

“Thune has never lied to me,” Cramer mentioned of the chief candidate. “I can’t say that of everybody.” 

Regardless of this remark, he maintained he has incorrect “enemies” throughout the convention, which he mentioned is a “good group.”

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He mentioned making an endorsement was once “the way to do it,” in his opinion. “There’s 53 of us. We all sought these positions of influence and, you know, appearing neutral seems sort of cowardice, if you will.”

As his reasoning for supporting Thune, the senator defined their lengthy historical past, each coming from a Dakota. “I’ve known John Thune since we were children, basically,” he mentioned, referencing the 1990 election cycle in each North and South Dakota once they have been Republican Birthday party administrators. 

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Sen. John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, speaks all the way through a information convention following Senate Republican coverage luncheons on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021.  (Eric Lee/Bloomberg by the use of Getty Pictures)

“All four of us from the Dakotas, of course, are supporting him,” he added. Thune and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., are publicly backing the previous, however Hoeven hadn’t in the past made a society endorsement. 

Hoeven’s place of business showed on Monday to Fox Information Virtual that he’s backing Thune.

“I mean, John and I have a long personal relationship. He’s a good friend. He is from the neighborhood,” Cramer mentioned. 

In keeping with the North Dakota Republican, he thinks the chief race will want to proceed to a 2d undisclosed poll, as one candidate should achieve 27 votes to bring to win. 

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Senators John Thune, John Cornyn, and Rick Scott are contenders within the race to prevail Mitch McConnell as chief. (Getty Pictures)

As for the high-profile endorsements of Scott coming from exterior figures ceaselessly aligned with President-Elect Donald Trump, Cramer mentioned, “Everybody has an opinion. I mean, I have people in my own party in North Dakota that would like me to do one thing or another.”

However, he stressed out that the Republican convention as a complete is in layout with Trump. “I endorsed Donald Trump and Donald Trump endorsed me,” the senator mentioned. 

“[W]hen it comes to the—literally the issue of governing, we’re all on the same team. The Republican majority in the Senate to a T is in sync with Donald Trump’s agenda.”

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Scott has gained a number of endorsements from Trump-aligned people.  (Reuters)

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Trump particularly has now not counseled a pace-setter candidate, regardless of the force coming from the ones in his orbit, comparable to billionaire X proprietor Elon Musk. 

Thune has additionally been counseled via Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla. Cornyn was once lately subsidized via Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Scott is being supported via Sens. Invoice Hagerty, R-Tenn., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.