National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman and top-Trump ally Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., suggested to senators ahead of the Wednesday Republican leader election that President-elect Donald Trump was supporting Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., to win, despite choosing not to endorse publicly.
Daines, who gave one of Thune’s two nominating speeches before voting began, claimed 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 is privately encouraging other Republicans to support Thune. (Reuters)
Daines’ office confirmed to Fox News Digital that he told his colleagues “Trump likes Thune” before ballots were cast.
Scott had notably received several public endorsements from Trump-aligned individuals, including billionaire X owner Elon Musk. He also had the support of several Trump-ally Senate colleagues. However, he was knocked out on the first secret ballot, only receiving 13 votes.
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Left: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. 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: Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., speaks at a press conference following being elected the Senate Majority Leader by the Senate Republican caucus in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 13, 2024. (Left: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Right: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Whether Trump would be content with a Thune win was speculated prior to the race, considering the fractured relationship the two men had during and after his first term as president.
Since then, Thune and Trump have been in contact and have apparently repaired their relationship, according to Daines’ remarks.
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Thune won the leader race on the second secret ballot, receiving 29 votes, which was two more than the necessary 27-vote majority. Cornyn got 24 votes.
The South Dakota Republican had received early backing from another top Trump ally, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who revealed his support for him soon after he announced his bid.
Following 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 moves quickly, and will do an outstanding job,” he said.
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US Senator John Thune, R-S.D., newly elected Senate Majority Leader for the upcoming 119th Congress, speaks to reporters at the US Capitol on Nov. 13, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (TING SHEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump’s private support for Thune, as Daines suggested, came despite the South Dakota senator’s hedging on committing to allow recess appointments after Trump publicly requested that the leader candidates agree.
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Thune simply said that everything was on the table when it came to confirming Trump’s selections for his administration, without committing to letting him confirm them unilaterally during recess.
Trump’s transition team and Thune’s office did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.