The New York Post has a really gossipy article today speculating that former Trump consultant Corey Lewandowski may be trying to return from political exile by promoting a primary race against Senate Majority Leader John Thune, running former South Dakota Governor and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem against him in 2028:
“Corey is looking for ways to get back in good with President Trump” is how one Republican strategist put it — and when Lewandowski recently singled out Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), eyebrows went up around Washington and the Black Hills.
and..
“The American people will be looking at someone who has a proven history of winning an election in South Dakota to maybe challenge John Thune,” he added, a description that sources said put them in mind of Noem, who became the first woman elected governor of the state in 2018 after serving four terms in the House of Representatives.
and..
Meanwhile, Thune would likely be a formidable opponent for Noem. Several Republican strategists with ties to South Dakota told The Post they still see the majority leader in a strong position to win a fifth term in 2028.
The 65-year-old has a long history of public service, having served in the House of Representatives for six years before his election to the Senate in 2004.
There was some rabble at the Republican convention attempting to poke at Senator Thune this last June, but even in this divisive time, they were quickly put down in their efforts. Which should give anyone planning to challenge him pause. Two years is a long time, and I don’t think Team Thune is going to take anything for granted. Politically, between now and 2028, there’s a lot that’s going to change, including a race for a new president that’s going to begin.
While Trump is popular at the moment, continued cringe-worthy prices for gasoline and other economic factors may thin his margin of popularity, even here in Red-State South Dakota. So it might be a stretch at this point to claim that a Trumpy campaign against JT can succeed. Ultimately, I don’t know that I see a challenge against John from Kristi, as much as we might see a re-run from a third-tier candidate like a Bruce Whalen or a Mark Mowry, who have attempted and failed before.
Let’s talk after the mid-terms. I think they may say a lot.
John Thune should run for president. Be nice to have someone with a decent temperament again
Rubio/Thune would be a nice 2028 ticket!
Maybe they could get IRS deals where they, their families and friends are immune from all IRS audits too!
While Sen Thune is clearly vulnerable (can’t even get a farm bill out of committee apparently) talk around the bar is that he is not vulnerable to Special Envoy Noem. People have seen that and want no part of it. A race between her and Bialota would be competitive.
So now he’s responsible for how the Democrats vote too?
Thanks to the Minnesota Democrat Socialist Senators who voted against the bill along with every other Democrat! Democrats are more interested in enabling SNAP fraud than supporting rural America.
A lot of rural residents are dependent on SNAP
The bill doesn’t lower SNAP benefits.
every dollar paid to crook is a dollar that coukd have been paid to someone who really needs it
There would be a lot more money available for public assistance, health care, law enforcement and educational programs if so much money didn’t go into the pockets of thieves.
It’s really strange you don’t get that.
There might be 13 people in South Dakota who still like Kristi. And Thune and his media people aren’t exactly slackers.
13 people?
Love to see Noem run in 28!
Do nothing Thune!
RLTW
TMZ caught up with Cory & Kristi at Lake Minnetonka enjoying a meal on the patio and later riding a side by side bicycle later in the supposed hell scape of Minnesota.
God. I hope so. Her grifting needs to end and this decision would speed that up.
Totally agree. A firm beating will finally put to rest the Noem legacy.
We don’t need two more years of this:
https://trib.al/Zbkkb6z
Lewy can keep his ideas away from South Dakota, thanks.
Guess I will be keeping my registration as Republican so I can have the pleasure of voting against her again.
So are you a liberal pretending to be a Republican?
ILLEGAL alien?
Transgender?
Believes in killing babies?
RLTW
And YOU seem like the type who stands on some street corner, waving your Bible in people’s faces, and spewing your ignorant opinions at the normal folks who are just trying to get away from you.
How about you slithering back under your rock.
we have already established that “Kristi Noem Hater” had scammed the unemployment compensation system by collecting benefits while not actively seeking employment. And hates Noem for putting a stop to the fraud.
So having fraudulently claimed unemployment benefits, it’s easy to be a liberal masquerading as a conservative.
Now is the part where I wish we could post GIFs….because there is a meme that perfectly captured my reaction –
HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oh wait you’re serious?
Let me laugh even harder!
I think she is done with elected office and ready to move on to a more lucrative executive/consultant career.
Her political life. Her book. Her personal life. Corey has turned it all to sh!t. Now he will try to defeat the Majority Leader of the US Senate. He’s coming after Thune… the guy who helped Kristi win her first big race.
What a scumbag.
I agree. Whether Noem can see it or not, Lewandowski’s influence has been a bad influence.
Victor Davis Hanson had an interview on the Daily Signal https://youtu.be/896WQ8Xi4nQ?is=NcDSl0od_jvzu1ci
Good video, but people seem to underestimate how much Kristi hurt herself by recording an audio book in which she claims to have met with with Kim Jong Un and then changing her story and saying she doesn’t talk about such meetings.
Rhoden said “she left her mark on South Dakota.” Yep, a long, brown skid mark.
More grifts coming for sure. I wish I would have voted for Herseth Sandlin in 2010 instead of Kristi.
It’s been over 20 years since Thune ran a real race.
Noem is a brawler.
More specifically, the last person who lost a primary or general election to John Thune by less than 43 percent was a former U.S, Senate majority leader over 20 years ago.
Yeah I bet Kristi still has the torches and pitchforks she was going to use against Thune Rounds and Johnson at the Rapid City Trump rally they avoided, the year before MAGA usurped the state GOP.
I was totally done with her being my governor that very day.
I like Kristi a lot, even through her mistakes. I don’t require my friends to be perfect. That said, I would advise Kristi to keep Lewandowski at a great distance. Any association with him is not to her benefit.
Lmao you’re about a decade and one marriage too late for that advise. Unless you’re being cheeky in which case well played.
It’s too late baby now it’s too late though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died and I can’t take it and I just can’t fake it