The majority leader of the United States Senate, John Thune, announced on Tuesday that in the coming weeks he will be traveling to several states to participate in campaign activities to help Republican candidates win key Senate elections and maintain control of the Senate.
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Senator Thune revealed his plans to visit North Carolina on Thursday, followed by visits to Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Florida, South Carolina, Ohio, and two visits to Iowa. He also mentioned that he will be engaging in some fundraising activities during his travels.
Thune told CBS reporters in his office, “I’ve told all our candidates that if it’s helpful, if there’s a way I can be involved and be of assistance, I’ll do it. If it’s not, I won’t. I’m all in.”
Last week, Thune traveled to Georgia to campaign for Republican Congressman Mike Collins, who is challenging Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in an attempt to flip the Senate seat.
Thune also mentioned attending a fundraising event in New York earlier this week. The Senate is set to adjourn later this week, and he is preparing for more intensive travel in the following weeks.
Senate Republicans are working hard to defend their majority. Currently, the Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate, and some races in this election cycle are highly contested.
Thune currently assesses the Republicans’ chances of retaining the Senate majority as “a 50-50 shot.” He believes the Republicans have a good chance of holding onto the majority, but it will depend on the outcomes of closely contested races.
With approximately 35 days until the election, Thune emphasized that the outcome is uncertain, and the final results will hinge on how Republicans perform in the closing stages of the campaign.