Sen. Thune wants President-elect Trump to stay out of race for Senate GOP leader

"MAGA must do everything in our power to stop either of these two RINOs from ever becoming Senate Leader!" Donald Trump Jr. said in February about Thune and Cornyn

By Nicholas Ballasy

Published: November 8, 2024 1:21pm

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., wants President-elect Donald Trump not to intervene in the election for Senate GOP leader.

Thune said it would be in Trump’s “best interests” to stay neutral in the election, according to a report from The Hill.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., are also running for leader.

Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect's son who was heavily involved in Trump's successful 2024 campaign, once called both Thune and Cornyn RINOs in February.

"RINO Senators John Thune & John Cornyn both want to replace Mitch McConnell, once he finally gets put out to pasture. Both of them also voted to send billions more to Ukraine," he wrote on X. "MAGA must do everything in our power to stop either of these two RINOs from ever becoming Senate Leader!"

Scott told The Daily Signal after Trump's victory that the Senate GOP conference under outgoing leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been run like a "dictatorship." He said Trump's decisive win calls for fresh leadership in the Senate.

Scott was elected to a second term on Tuesday. Cornyn was first elected to the Senate back in 2002. Thune was elected in 2004.