John Thune Brushes Off Boos at GOP Convention While Trump Praises His Prospects

During the opening day of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) was met with audible boos from the floor. In an exclusive interview, Thune said he recognizes that “the dreaded establishment in Washington” can provoke such reactions and emphasized his willingness to support any candidate “whichever helps you the most.” He added that he prefers to work behind the scenes, noting, “We’ve got a number of our candidates down here and we had a box where we were hosting them yesterday” “We’ve got a number of our candidates down here and we had a box where we were hosting them yesterday,” — Majority Leader John Thune.

New York Post

Thune later clarified that he does not believe Trump is frustrated with his personal leadership, but rather with that make governing difficult “The president is trying to generate intensity among Republican voters who otherwise in a midterm election might not be inclined to come out and vote,” — Majority Leader John Thune.

New York Post

Thune explained that the administration’s voter-ID legislation, the SAVE America Act, has been stalled for months because it lacks the 60-vote filibuster threshold needed for passage. He attributed the blockage primarily to Democratic obstruction, noting that the Senate has recorded the highest number of roll-call votes on the floor since 1976.

New York Post

According to the RealClearPolitics polling aggregator, Republicans currently control both the House and the Senate, yet Democrats lead the generic congressional ballot by more than six percentage points. Thune indicated that the party’s strategy is to generate intensity among Republican voters who might otherwise stay home, a tactic he says the president is emphasizing to boost turnout.

New York Post