Senator John Thune, the South Dakota Republican who drew Trump’s fury, will seek a 4th term

Senator John Thune (RS.D.), a Senate minority widely seen as a likely successor to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), announced Saturday. announced that he plans to run for re-election in 2022.

McConnell is elected to his seventh Senate term in 2020. When that term ends, he will be 84 years old. On Friday, Thune turns 61.

Based on The Wall Street JournalThune “attracted the outrage of Donald Trump for pushing back against the former president’s false claims that the election was stolen from him”, expressing concern over Trump’s continued hold on the Republican Party and considered retirement. New York Times report that his decision to seek a fourth term came after “an active lobbying campaign by colleagues prompted him to put aside concerns about his party’s future and go for it” re-election.

“South Dakota deserves a strong and effective senator who can deliver the results they expect,” Thune said. tweeted. “I’m uniquely positioned to get that job done.”

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R), a strong Trump supporter whom Trump encouraged Ms. Thune to officially in 2022, has refused to run. So far, three other Republicans are seeking the nomination, each trying to position themselves as pro-Trump candidates.

Campaign of Rancher Mark Mowry website describes Mowry as a “‘America First'” candidate seeking to “remove John Thune.” Software execute, manage Patrick Schubert’s campaign runs a Facebook Page called “Remove RINO SD.” Oglala Sioux Tribal Administrator Bruce Whalen speak he was motivated to seek nominations when “Thune, on behalf of [former] Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted against the audit of the election results. “

Thune won her first Senate term in 2004 with a slight advantage over then-Senator Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D). In 2010, Thune failed to run in both the primaries and general elections, and in 2016 he beat his Democratic opponent by more than 40 points.

Five other Republican senators – Richard Burr (NC), Pat Toomey (Penn.), Rob Portman (Ohio), Richard Shelby (Ala.) and Roy Blunt (Mo.) – have announced that they plan to retire. retired in 2022. Only one Democrat, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said the same.