Thune suggests Trump shouldn't weigh in on Senate leader race
Senate Minority Whip John Thune said President-elect Donald Trump might want to stay out of the race to succeed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. (Credit: Squawk Box CNBC)
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is coming off the high of his better-than-expected re-election margin in Florida while also shifting right into campaign mode for the Republican Senate leader race next week. His first project: Get President-elect Donald Trump's support.
The Florida Republican is actively lobbying his ally, who is now both the former and future president, for his endorsement ahead of the GOP leader race to determine who will succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
In fact, the election presented Trump with a mandate, and "that's the best case scenario for Rick Scott," a senior Scott source told Fox News Digital.
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Rick Scott is hoping to earn Trump's endorsement in the Senate leader race. (Reuters)
Trump has not endorsed anyone in the leader race, which currently includes candidates Scott, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D. He also has not said whether he will ultimately weigh in.
Scott spoke to Trump following their electoral wins, telling FOX Business' Larry Kudlow that they are "texting back and forth."
He expressed hope that Trump would back him in the race, which is rapidly heating up.
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Sen. Rick Scott speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on March 2, 2023, in National Harbor, Maryland. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., made his own endorsement of Scott, and urged Trump to do the same on "The Jesse Kelly Show" on Thursday. He told host Jesse Kelly to ask the president-elect to "come out publicly" in support of Scott, if he has any influence with Trump.
A source familiar also shared with Fox News Digital that Thune had connected with both Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance after the election.
However, the South Dakota Republican is of a different perspective than Scott and suggested Trump should not get involved in the Senate GOP leader race.
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Sen. John Thune questions U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai as she testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill, May 12, 2021. (Susan Walsh/Getty Images)
"It's probably in his best interest to stay out of that," he said on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Thursday.
"Obviously, if he wants to, he could exert a considerable amount of influence on that," Thune acknowledged.
He noted it's his preference that Trump doesn't publicly endorse.
Thune and Trump had a previously fractured relationship, which they have been repairing in recent months. The senator first endorsed Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., in the Republican presidential primary before ultimately backing Trump.
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Sen. John Cornyn arrives to a luncheon with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 7, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Cornyn has been adamant about keeping the race out of the press. His office did not say whether he had spoken with Trump since the election but referred Fox News Digital to his interview with Fox News' Neil Cavuto last week.
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Asked about potential friction with Trump, which McConnell dealt with, Cornyn said, "My experience with President Trump is you can tell him the truth in private, and he is willing to listen. And sometimes he's willing to do what you suggest. Other times he may disagree, and that's his prerogative. But I've had a very successful four years working with President Trump during his first term."
The leader election will be conducted through a secret ballot among the Republican conference on Nov. 13. McConnell does not plan to endorse in the race.
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