Democrats won a historic victory in the 2026 midterm elections. Not only did they win back the House and the Senate, but they also flipped the GOP strongholds of Texas, Kansas, Ohio, South Carolina, and Iowa, some of which haven’t gone blue in decades. The GOP did not flip a single statewide race.

Democrats will likely win over 250 US House seats and over 55 US Senate seats. Comfortable majorities that the party has not had since Obama’s landslide victory in 2008.

These defeats were generational for the GOP, and the party has once again been forced into the political wilderness. They must decide what kind of party they want to be, as they may not win back either chamber of Congress for at least the next two election cycles.

The question that many Republicans are asking is who should take responsibility for this embarrassing loss? There is one man who played a huge role. That man is Senator John Thune, R-SD.

Thune served as Senate Majority Leader during the 119th Congress. This is first time in almost two decades the caucus has been led by someone who isn’t Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY.

McConnell had also reportedly handpicked Thune to be successor, giving Republicans more of the same they had experienced the past two decades.

President Trump even once called Thune “Mitch’s boy” that nickname is more relevant than ever:

In the months leading up to the midterms, Thune was already under fire by the President and other prominent figures on the right over his failure to pass the SAVE America Act, which the House had already passed under Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA.

Unlike the House, President Trump’s agenda stalled in the Senate, contributing to another two years of a do-nothing Congress.

Republicans had everything. They had the House, the Senate, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court. Now they just lost both chambers of Congress by substantial margins.

Mike Johnson did his part to pass the President’s agenda, Thune did not.

Thune has decided to run for reelection to lead the GOP Senate Caucus despite the public scrutiny. His job is in jeopardy as GOP politicians and voters are growing frustrated over these midterm results.

President Trump already publicly confirmed that he will not support Thune for another term as GOP Senate leader.

A potential challenge to Thune from Senator Rick Scott, R-FL, could emerge in the coming weeks. Scott has run for the position in the past, and these midterm losses could give him an ample opportunity to beat the unpopular Senator.

President Trump has yet to weigh in on who he will support.

The House, firebrand Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH, is seeking to become the next GOP minority leader and he will face outgoing Majority Leader, Steve Scalise, R-LA.

This creates a deeply divided battle that will determine which direction House Republicans take going forward. President Trump also has yet to weigh in on who he will support in this battle.

If Thune were to save any part of his stained legacy, then he should step aside and let someone else lead the Republican Senate Caucus. Someone who is not handpicked by fellow R.I.N.O. Mitch McConnell.

What is the GOP’s future following these terrible losses? What direction will the party take in future election cycles?

Let the political infighting begin.

 

The post “LET THE POLITICAL INFIGHTING BEGIN”: What’s Next for Republicans After DEVASTATING Election Loss? – RINO John Thune Under Fire appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.