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- Trump slammed Senate Majority Whip John Thune after he criticized House Republicans for threatening to challenge the electoral votes on January 6.
- Trump called Thune a “Republican In Name Only” and also took a jab at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
- The president has been upset with McConnell ever since he acknowledged and congratulated President-elect Joe Biden for his election victory.
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President Donald Trump ripped into Senate Majority Whip John Thune after he was critical of efforts from conservatives in the House to overturn the election.
“RINO John Thune, “Mitch’s boy”, should just let it play out. South Dakota doesn’t like weakness. He will be primaried in 2022, political career over!!!” Trump wrote in a tweet.
Rep. Mo Brooks and several other conservative members of the House met with Trump and Pence on Monday to discuss the baseless claims that the election was stolen from Trump. Those who attended said they were confident that on January 6, when the electoral votes confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s victory are solidified, some members of the House and the Senate would debate the legitimacy of the votes.
On January 6, Pence will preside over a joint session of Congress to finalize the results. If no member objects to the results, they will be certified. But if both a member of the House and a member of the Senate vote to challenge a state’s electors, Congress would have to deliberate on whether to accept those electors.
In response, Thune said: “I think the thing they got to remember is it’s not going anywhere. I mean, in the Senate, it would go down like a shot dog. I just don’t think it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is going to be.”
Trump called Thune a "Republican In Name Only" and appeared to continue his battle with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who has told senators not to join Trump's efforts to delegitimize the electoral votes.
Trump was upset after McConnell congratulated Biden on his victory.
McConnell has acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden's victory and is concerned that any efforts to carry on with Trump's appeals to overturn the election could cause Republicans the two Georgia senate seats that are in a run-off election.