President Trump on Friday called on the South Dakota government, Kristi Noem, to challenge incumbent Republican Senator John Thune of the state for his 2022 congressional seat.
Trump supports Noem’s candidacy for the Senate while referring to Thune as a ‘RINO’, or ‘Republican by name only’. Thune recently angered Trump after criticizing the president’s attempt to challenge the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
SENATE VOTES TO REVERSE TRUMP NDAA VETO
“I hope to see the great governor of South Dakota @KristiNoem, against RINO @ SenJohnThune, in the coming 2022 Primary,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “She’s going to do a fantastic job in the U.S. Senate, but if not Kristi, others are already in line. South Dakota wants strong leadership NOW!”
Name has been a strong ally of Trump since taking office in 2019. The president repeatedly clashed with Thune.
Trump referred to Thune in a tweet last month as ‘Mitch’s boy’, in a reference to Senate leader Mitch McConnell, warning that in 2022 Thune will be ‘primary’, political career over. ‘
The president intensified his attacks on Thune after the senator said that any attempt by Trump or his allies to brave the election college’s fight would go off like a shot dog. Congress will review the results in a final step on January 6 before President-elect Joe Bide becomes president later this month.
In December, Noem said she has no plans to challenge Thune in 2022.
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“@Johnthune is a friend of mine, and I will not challenge him,” she wrote on Twitter. “I am honored to be governor of South Dakota and will ask the people to give me the opportunity to continue as governor in 2022.”
As for Thune, he apparently stepped up the attack and on Friday told a group of Capitol Hill reporters: ‘What took him so long?’, He laughed and asked, ‘That’s fine. That’s the way he communicates. ‘
Asked if he would try to get the president right with the president, Thune said: “No, I do not know what I did to deserve it all, but it’s good. I’m not sure if there’s anything to it. does not change once he makes it up. ‘