
John Thune, a senator from South Dakota and McConnell’s deputy as GOP Whip, drew the attention of most Senate watchers as a probable successor as Senate Republican leader.
Less than two hours after Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced that he would step aside as Senate Republican leader in November, Thune’s name emerged.
Among his 49 fellow Republicans in the Senate, Thune enjoys widespread support as he prepares to run for party leadership. The South Dakotan is not just a regular on Sunday talk show but also has an impressive lifetime average rating of 83.52%, according to the American Conservative Union.
Above all else, Senate sources assure that Thune does not face a “Trump problem” similar to McConnell’s. Issues such as NATO and the contentious 2020 election brought the former president and the Kentuckian to blows.
While the South Dakotan did find Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021, to be “inexcusable,” he has since made amends and even gave Trump a rousing endorsement after Trump won the South Carolina primary on Saturday.
Pundits call it “the race of the three Johns,” Thune will likely have to contend with Wyoming Senator John Barrasso and Texas Senator John Cornyn for the position of party leader.
The Senate Republican Conference is chaired by Barrasso, a physician who is 71 years old. At 72, Cornyn has been an effective fundraiser for his fellow Republicans and a former chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
71-year-old Florida Senator Rick Scott, who ran against Mitch McConnell for leadership last year and was defeated by a score of 37 to 10, is also included. It is still unknown whether Scott still faces any animosity from his coworkers because he took on the role of leader.
Thune is 63 years old. Much focus is on the advanced age of our representatives. Although not a spring chicken, Thune is not an Old Crow. This gives him a distinct advantage.