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For now, conservatives are reserving judgment about newly elected Senate Republican Leader John Thune.
Yes, he’s a career Establishment politician. And no, he has never led a high-profile, principled fight on the Senate floor or in a major public debate.
However, during his leadership campaign, Thune did endorse some conservative reforms. He promised to reopen the Senate’s legislative process, which Mitch McConnell has locked down for the last 15 years. He also agreed that confirming President Trump’s cabinet nominees would be a top priority when Republicans retake the Senate on January 3.
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It’s good to see Thune saying the right things, but he will very soon show us whether he is willing to do the right thing.
Here are FOUR defining tests John Thune will face in the coming weeks:
First, government funding runs out on December 20. Traditionally, that has meant McConnell negotiating a secret deal with Democrats and springing it on the Senate hours before a government shutdown. Will Thune continue this scam? Or will he intervene? Will he lead Republican Senators in blocking another 1,000-page, multi-trillion-dollar Establishment debt bomb? Or will he pretend that there is nothing he can do?
Second, Democrat elites are scrambling to pass as much legislation and to confirm as many judges as they can between now and the new Congress. Is Thune willing to use all his procedural tools to stop this lame-duck sham? Or, again, will he say his hands are tied until January? To his credit, he took action this week to use procedural tools to stop confirmations.
Third, come January, will Thune work with President Trump in seating his new cabinet officers? Or will he allow Democrats to obstruct the process? Will he fight for Trump’s most ambitious nominees?
Fourth, will Thune fast-track President Trump’s top legislative priorities — to solve the border crisis, inflation, and defund weaponized bureaucrats in the Deep State?
The Senate can play a crucial role in driving Trump’s agenda. But — as we have seen for years under Mitch McConnell — Senate Republicans can also passive-aggressively protect the Swamp from principled conservative reform.
John Thune has an opportunity to be a historic figure — the Leader who rescued the Senate and America from corrupt elites. But he could also maintain the status quo and protect the Swamp from real reform.
Grassroots conservatives should watch Leader Thune closely now. We will know very soon which choice he has made.
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