Thune to ramp up midterm campaign stops as GOP defends Senate majority

Senate Majority Leader John Thune plans to ramp up his midterm campaign stops across several key states as the GOP strives to retain its Senate majority. Thune has announced visits to North Carolina, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Florida, South Carolina, Ohio, and Iowa, accompanied by fundraising events. He has stated that he will only travel and campaign if his presence is deemed useful to the candidates and their respective races.

Thune has previously visited Georgia, where he campaigned with Rep. Mike Collins, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. He has also attended fundraising events in New York. Despite facing criticism from the party's right flank and even from President Trump, Thune maintains that the Senate Republicans are well-positioned to defend their majority in the upcoming midterms.

He highlights that the majority of races are within a narrow margin of error, and his party has historically outperformed polls in such close contests. As the Senate prepares to adjourn later this week, Thune is determined to execute the final stretch of the campaign effectively to secure the necessary votes to maintain party control.