Not only was John Thune more popular in North Dakota than Donald Trump in 2016, newly elected governor Kelly Armstrong is more popular than Trump in 2024

But, yeah, ridiculous once upon a time NeverTrump gasbags like Charlie Kirk think they are going to remove John Thune.

Donald Trump once laughably thought the same thing about Kelly Armstrong.

 

The US Senate Republican election of John Thune over John Cornyn and Rick Scott to Majority Leader isn't surprising except to MAGAs who can't imagine that Thune beat Trump in South Dakota by 37,785 votes in 2016

 Thune has been dutifully serving Mitch McConnell for years and has the seniority and credibility demanded by his colleagues.

It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

 

 

Senator Mitch McConnell, 82, will step down from his GOP leadership position in November

 WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history who maintained his power in the face of dramatic convulsions in the Republican Party for almost two decades, will step down from that position in November. ...

McConnell’s path to power was hardly linear, but from the day he walked onto the Senate floor in 1985 and took his seat as the most junior Republican senator, he set his sights on being the party leader. What set him apart was that so many other Senate leaders wanted to run for president. McConnell wanted to run the Senate. He lost races for lower party positions before steadily ascending, and finally became party leader in 2006 and has won nine straight elections.

More.

Mitch was 64 when he took over in 2006.

Senator John Thune, 63, is a favorite to succeed him.

Debt ceiling compromise clears the US Senate 63-36, Republican Senators extract pledge from Chucky Schumer for more defense spending which amounts to a pig in a poke so 31 vote against it anyway

Hello, all spending bills must originate in the House.

Some Senate Republicans are pretending you don't know that.

What a joke.

 CNBC:

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spent much of the day Thursday hammering out an agreement with a group of Senate Republicans who demanded that he pledge to support a supplemental defense funding bill before they would agree to fast-track the debt ceiling bill.

The current House debt ceiling bill provided $886 billion in defense spending for fiscal year 2024, an increase of 3% year over year. That figure rose to $895 billion in 2025, an increase of 1%.

But GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine called this “woefully inadequate” Thursday, arguing that a 1% increase did not keep pace with inflation, so in practical terms, it was actually a decrease in military funding. The solution came in the form of a rare joint statement from Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., which was read on the floor.

“This debt ceiling deal does nothing to limit the Senate’s ability to appropriate emergency supplemental funds to ensure our military capabilities are sufficient to deter China, Russia and our other adversaries and respond to ongoing and growing national security threats,” Schumer read. “Nor does this debt ceiling limit the Senate’s ability to appropriate emergency supplemental funds and respond to various national issues, such as disaster relief, combating the fentanyl crisis or other issues of national importance,” said Schumer.

The Hill:

The normally slow-moving chamber raced through a dozen votes in just over three hours. ...

A total of 31 Republicans voted against the measure ...

Just four Democrats voted against the measure: Sens. John Fetterman (Pa.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), along with Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). ...

The legislation would provide $886 billion for defense, which negotiators described as a 3 percent increase, and $637 billion for non-defense programs, according to a White House summary. ...

Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) said McCarthy didn’t sign off on the agreement between Senate leaders and defense-minded GOP senators. ...

Asked how confident he is about a defense supplemental spending bill passing later in the year, Thune said, “hard to say.” 

“It was important for some of our members have folks on the record acknowledging there clearly could be a need, will be a need for our national security interests,” he said.

The Republican Party is infested with 123 members of the House and Senate who want tens of thousands more foreign workers let in to take US jobs

Story.

• Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
• Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)
• Sen. James Risch (R-ID)
• Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
• Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
• Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
• Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY)
• Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO)
• Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)
• Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
• Sen. Mike Crap (R-ID)
• Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)
• Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
• Sen. James Lankford (R-OK)
• Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)
• Sen. Todd Young (R-IN)
• Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS)
• Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
• Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)
• Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA)
• Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)
• Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
• Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
• Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)
• Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI)
• Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH)
• Rep. John Curtis (R-UT)
• Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN)
• Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA)
• Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC)
• Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AZ)
• Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI)
• Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI)
• Rep. Van Taylor (R-TX)
• Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA)
• Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI)
• Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
• Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL)
• Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA)
• Rep. Darren Soto (R-FL)
• Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD)
• Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO)
• Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS)
• Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
• Rep. Roger Marshall (R-KS)
• Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN)
• Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL)
• Rep. Elise Stefancik (R-NY)
• Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ)
• Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA)
• Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA)
• Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-LA)
• Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)
• Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA)
• Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC)
• Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA)
• Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC)
• Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL)
• Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA)
• Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI)
• Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND)
• Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS)
• Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH)
• Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH)
• Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX)
• Rep. David Joyce (R-OH)
• Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH)
• Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS)
• Rep. French Hill (R-AR)
• Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV)
• Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH)
• Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO)
• Rep. Billy Long (R-MO)
• Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH)
• Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY)
• Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
• Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY)
• Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY)
• Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)
• Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH)
• Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR)
• Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY)
• Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK)
• Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA)
• Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
• Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA)
• Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO)
• Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS)
• Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC)
• Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH)
• Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
• Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN)
• Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)
• Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
• Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT)
• Rep. David McKinley (R-WV)
• Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO)
• Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)
• Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI)
• Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
• Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX)
• Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)
• Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN)
• Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
• Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX)
• Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL)
• Rep. Fred Keller (R-PA)
• Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA)
• Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL)
• Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)
• Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX)
• Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
• Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
• Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)
• Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL)
• Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX)
• Rep. John Carter (R-TX)
• Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)
• Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH)
• Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)

McConnell reportedly set to bring full repeal bill like HR 3762 to a vote in the Senate

Here and here for the story.

There were 52 "Yeas" for the HR 3762 Obamacare repeal bill in the Senate on December 3, 2015 out of 54 Republicans, which Obama subsequently vetoed. It was the only repeal bill ever to reach Obama's desk:

Alexander of Tennessee

Ayotte of New Hampshire (seat lost to Democrats in 2016)

Barrasso of Wyoming

Blunt of Missouri

Boozman of Arkansas

Burr of North Carolina

Capito of West Virginia

Cassidy of Louisiana

Coats of Indiana (Todd Young)

Cochran of Mississippi

Corker of Tennessee

Cornyn of Texas

Cotton of Arkansas

Crapo of Idaho

Cruz of Texas

Daines of Montana

Enzi of Wyoming

Ernst of Iowa

Fischer of Nebraska

Flake of Arizona

Gardner of Colorado

Graham of South Carolina

Grassley of Iowa

Hatch of Utah

Heller of Nevada

Hoeven of North Dakota

Inhofe of Oklahoma

Isakson of Georgia

Johnson of Wisconsin

Lankford of Oklahoma

Lee of Utah

McCain of Arizona

McConnell of Kentucky

Moran of Kansas

Murkowski of Alaska

Paul of Kentucky

Perdue of Georgia

Portman of Ohio

Risch of Idaho

Roberts of Kansas

Rounds of South Dakota

Rubio of Florida

Sasse of Nebraska

Scott of South Carolina

Sessions of Alabama (Luther Strange)

Shelby of Alabama

Sullivan of Alaska

Thune of South Dakota

Tillis of North Carolina

Toomey of Pennsylvania

Vitter of Louisiana (John Neely Kennedy)

Wicker of Mississippi.

There were two Republican "Nays":

Collins of Maine, who is still there

Kirk of Illinois, who lost his seat to the Democrats.

Now out of 52 Republicans in the Senate we have 48 votes this time for repeal that we had last time, plus 3 Republican freshman in the Senate to pressure to vote for repeal, which would bring the total to 51, assuming Collins of Maine again votes "Nay".

We'll see if they have the guts.

Incumbent Republicans in the US Senate conservatives should primary in 2016

The following pro-amnesty Republicans should be primaried in 2016 by conservatives:

Ayotte of New Hampshire

Coats of Indiana

Johnson of Wisconsin

Kirk of Illinois

McCain of Arizona

Murkowski of Alaska

Thune of South Dakota

Toomey of Pennsylvania.

We'll have to wait longer to get rid of these:

Barrasso of Wyoming

Corker of Tennessee

Flake of Arizona

Hatch of Utah

Heller of Nevada

23 Republican traitors in the US Senate vote to fund Obama's illegal immigration amnesty

From the Roll Call Vote in the Senate, Vote Number 62, Friday, February 27, 2015, here [the bill passed 68-31, requiring a simple majority, meaning the Republicans, who control the Senate, could have stopped this by not authoring it or voting for it; not a single Democrat voted against the bill]:

Alexander (R-TN)

Ayotte (R-NH)

Barrasso (R-WY)

Capito (R-WV)

Coats (R-IN)

Cochran (R-MS)

Collins (R-ME)

Corker (R-TN)

Cornyn (R-TX)

Enzi (R-WY)

Flake (R-AZ)

Gardner (R-CO)

Graham (R-SC)

Hatch (R-UT)

Heller (R-NV)

Johnson (R-WI)

Kirk (R-IL)

McCain (R-AZ)

McConnell (R-KY)

Murkowski (R-AK)

Rounds (R-SD)

Thune (R-SD)

Toomey (R-PA)

US Senate votes 56-40 last night just before 10PM to approve Cromnibus spending bill

The 40 votes against this p.o.s. illustrate the minority which represents what passes for the extreme wings of the two political gangs which tyrannize this country:

22 Democrats

Blumenthal (D-CT)
Booker (D-NJ)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hirono (D-HI)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Levin (D-MI)
Manchin (D-WV)
Markey (D-MA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Tester (D-MT)
Warren (D-MA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

18 Republicans

Corker (R-TN)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Flake (R-AZ)
Grassley (R-IA)
Heller (R-NV)
Johnson (R-WI)
Lee (R-UT)
McCain (R-AZ)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Portman (R-OH)
Risch (R-ID)
Rubio (R-FL)
Scott (R-SC)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Vitter (R-LA)

Four senators decided showing up wasn't worth it:

Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Inhofe (R-OK)

These are the 24 Republican traitors to fiscal conservatism who voted for the bill:

Alexander (R-TN)
Ayotte (R-NH)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Coats (R-IN)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fischer (R-NE)
Graham (R-SC)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kirk (R-IL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Thune (R-SD)
Toomey (R-PA)
Wicker (R-MS)

And these the 32 Democrats:

Baldwin (D-WI)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Coons (D-DE)
Donnelly (D-IN)
Durbin (D-IL)
Hagan (D-NC)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Heitkamp (D-ND)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kaine (D-VA)
King (I-ME)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Leahy (D-VT)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murphy (D-CT)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Schatz (D-HI)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Walsh (D-MT)
Warner (D-VA).

Screwing the American people is a bipartisan affair, but leans Democrat 1.3:1.