Trump is secretly backing John Thune in the race for a conservative leader: Sen. Steve Daines
The Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and a big supporter of Trump Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., suggested to senators ahead of Wednesday’s Republican primary election that President-elect Donald Trump was supporting Senate Minerals Whip John Thune, RS.D. ., victory, despite choosing not to publicly support it.
Daines, who delivered one of Thune’s two nomination speeches before voting began, said Trump was backing Thune in the race against Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, two sources told Fox News Digital, including one. Senator in the room.
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Daines secretly encourages other Republicans to support Thune. (Reuters)
Daines’ office confirmed to Fox News Digital that he told colleagues that “Trump likes Thune” before the vote.
Scott has notably received public endorsements from Trump sympathizers, including billionaire billionaire Elon Musk. He was also supported by several of Trump’s Senate colleagues. However, he was eliminated in the first secret ballot, receiving only 13 votes.
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Left: Republican presidential nominee, former US President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov. 6, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Fla; Right: Senator John Thune, RS.D., speaks at a press conference following his selection as Senate Majority Leader by the Senate Republican caucus in Washington, DC on November 13, 2024. (Left: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Right: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Whether Trump would be satisfied with a Thune win had been speculated before the race, given the strained relationship the two men had during and after his first term as president.
Since then, Thune and Trump have been in touch and have apparently mended their relationship, according to Daines.
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A new Senate GOP leader was named Wednesday. (Reuters)
Thune won the leader’s race in a second secret ballot, receiving 29 votes, two more than the required 27-vote majority. Cornyn received 24 votes.
The South Dakota Republican has received early support from another top Trump ally, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who expressed his support immediately after announcing his bid.
After his win on Wednesday, Trump congratulated Thune in a post on Truth Social. “Congratulations to Senator John Thune, the newly elected Senate Majority Leader. He is moving fast, and he will do an excellent job,” he said.
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US Senator John Thune, RS.D., newly elected Senate Majority Leader for the upcoming 119th Congress, speaks to reporters at the US Capitol on November 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. (TING SHEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump’s private support for Thune, as Daines suggested, comes even though the South Dakota senator bowed out of his commitment to approve the recess appointment after Trump publicly called for the nominees to do so.
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Thune simply said that everything was on the table when it came to confirming Trump’s administration, without committing to letting him confirm it on his own during the recess.
Trump’s transition team and Thune’s office did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
