Mike Rounds South Dakota

With Trump Criminal Indictment, Many Republican Senators Back Away From Endorsements!

Donald Trump has become the first President to be criminally indicted by the US Government, alongside his indictment by the state government in New York, and also being impeached twice while President.

Today, Trump has reached his 77th birthday, and there are already signs of dwindling support for the 45th President, with the crowds at his two indictments being nowhere near what he asked of his supporters.

And at least in the US Senate, there are many Republicans who are moving away from Trump, at the least neutral, but with some endorsing other Republican contenders or considering such.

There is concern that Trump would take down the party in Congressional elections in 2024, and cannot win the Presidential election against Joe Biden.

One must recall that Trump has NEVER won the popular vote, neither in 2016 nor 2020, and each time the Republicans have been on the ballot since his election, they have lost control of the House of Representatives in 2018, the Senate in 2020, and only barely won control of the House of Representatives in 2022, while seeing a Democratic gain in the Senate of one seat. Additionally, many gubernatorial races have been lost by candidates backing Trump on his claim that he won the Presidential Election of 2020,despite more than 60 court cases showing otherwise!

The Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, refuses to comment on the Trump indictment, but the two men have not spoken since the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

Second ranking Republican John Thune has expressed criticism of Trump, and has endorsed South Carolina Senator Tim Scott for President, along with the other South Dakota Senator—Mike Rounds. And the two North Dakota Senators, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven are backing North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, the “forgotten” Presidential contender.

Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine are also critical of Trump, as are Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

Only about ten Republican Senators are supportive openly of Trump.

Ron DeSantis Comes Out As Neville Chamberlain, Divides Republicans On Foreign Policy Toward Vladimir Putin

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who clearly will be announcing for President in the near future, has come out clearly against aid to Ukraine, seeing the Russia-Ukraine War as not an issue of national security for the United States.

In that regard, he is acting like Donald Trump!

In so doing, DeSantis and Trump are coming out as Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister who made a deal with Adolf Hitler to give up half of Czechoslovakia in 1938 (the Munich Conference), thinking it would satisfy Hitler’s territorial demands, which was instead appeasement of a dictator.

The issue of Ukraine has divided the Republican members of the US Senate, including:

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Mitt Romney of Utah
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
John Cornyn of Texas
John Thune of South Dakota
Marco Rubio of Florida
Mike Rounds of South Dakota
Kevin Cramer of North Dakota
Roger Wicker of Mississippi
John Kennedy of Louisiana

And there are others in the Senate who have not spoken publicly who would take the same stand, being critical of both DeSantis and Trump on Ukraine.

There are also a few House Republicans, the so called “moderates”, who would join the Senate Republicans who are in opposition.

So a major battle for the soul of the party is in process!