PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump has named Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, as the next member of the Senate Republican Party, replacing Sen. John Thune (R-SD). Breitbart News exclusively reported that he intends to support it.
Trump is expected to announce his support soon, perhaps within days. Barrasso had been considering a run for Senate Republican leader after the current leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), resigned after the election and announced he would not run again. Barrasso instead decided to run for whip, the No. 2 position in the Senate Republican leadership. President Trump is expected to endorse Barrasso for the job in the near future, effectively securing the job for Barrasso.
Thune and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) are both currently running for leadership. So far, they are the only two running for the position. Both ultimately endorsed Trump once it became clear that he would be the Republican presidential nominee again this year. However, it is said that Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana), who has supported President Trump from the beginning, may consider running for office after this year’s Senate elections are over. Daines currently chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), leading the Republican effort to retake the Senate.
Mr. Barrasso has always been a conservative leader, particularly outspoken on both energy and immigration policy. Barrasso became the second current Senate Republican leader to endorse Trump earlier this year before the Iowa caucuses, after Daines endorsed Trump last year. Barrasso has also been active in campaigning for Trump-backed candidates across the country, including Kali Lake in Arizona and Bernie Moreno in Ohio.
