Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) said he is concerned Republicans could lose control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections.
“I worry about that, for sure,” Thune told KELO, a TV station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Tuesday. “I’m a realist, and I just think you — I don’t ever try and sugarcoat things. I think it’s a competitive environment right now. I think we’ve got the highest-quality candidates.”
Democrats need to pick up four seats to reclaim control of the Senate, including at least two seats in states that President Donald Trump won in 2024 by double-digits margins.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) has become more optimistic about Democrats’ chances as Trump’s approval rating has declined and as gas prices remain high due to the Iran war.
Thune also said in the interview that he is hopeful that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), who has been absent from the Senate since he suffered a fall in June, will return to the chamber soon. McConnell was discharged from a rehabilitation center last month, according to his office.
“We’d love to get him back to where we can have him voting in the Senate, and I hope that will happen here in the not-too-distant future,” Thune said.
Catch up quickly every weekday morning with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories. Sign up for The 7 newsletter.
The post Senate Majority Leader John Thune warns Republicans could lose the Senate appeared first on Washington Post.
