Swamp Rat John Thune Elected Senate Majority Leader

Let’s look at Thune’s voting record:

Conservative Review Liberty Score: 51%

Heritage Action scorecard: 37%

New American Freedom Index: 56%

And he is from a red state!

Why did this outcome develop?

First, the majority leader controls how campaign funds are distributed; how committee assignments are made; how chairmen of committees are named; and even how office space is allotted. Cross who you perceive will be majority leader, and you will pay a price.

Second, this is the expressed will of the donor class. The donor class provides those campaign funds the majority leader distributes.

Third, the Senate GOP caucus is primarily comprised of moderate/progressive, establishment Republicans. As we have seen here in North Carolina, conservatives are boxed out in the primaries in various ways. Many states allow independent voters to cast a ballot in party primaries. And ultimately, the voters don’t do their due diligence and tend to select moderate/ progressives during the primary process.

Fourth, even though Trump is a moderate overall, the Senate GOP caucus opposes his agenda because of his stance on immigration, borders, tariffs and especially foreign interventionism.

We will see how this plays out in terms of the Senate’s willingness to advance Trump’s nominations and appointments; and also his legislative agenda. But given the Republicans’ tendency to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, we ought to be concerned.

There is a major need to reduce markedly the size of the federal government and overall spending. To the extent this leadership election will interfere with that priority, it could have civilizational implications. If the country implodes financially, it is very difficult to see where that will lead us.