'Welcome to the club': Senate Republicans commiserate with Mike Rounds over Trump attack
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) told ABC News on Sunday that the 2020 "was fair, as fair as we have seen," and President Biden legitimately won the presidency.
Televised affirmation by a Republican senator that former President Donald Trump cleanly lost his re-election bid is rare enough to be news — and to draw a sharp response from Trump, who called "Senator" Rounds "woke" and either "crazy" or "stupid" in a statement Monday. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) added a short preface to Trump's statement.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), who's had his own run-in with Trump over the 2020 election, welcomed his fellow South Dakotan to the attacked-by-Trump club.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) issued his own statement, listing other Republicans who have acknowledged Biden's victory.
Trump regularly rages against Republicans he sees as insufficiently loyal to him, and that has been hard on his GOP targets in the House, where Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) sides with the former president. Senators have fared better, though Trump's ire is typically shared and amplified by his ardent supporters. Trump said Thune's "political career is over!!!" in December 2020, but Thune is heavily favored to win re-election this year.
Later Monday, Rounds issued his own response to "the former president," reiterating that "the former president lost the 2022 election" and lauding Vice President Mike Pence's "integrity" for standing his ground and acknowledging "President Biden's victory."
NBC's Sahil Kapur adds some context to the fight and notes that Rounds won't face voters again until 2026.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - July 25, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - a new forecast, an old bumper sticker, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Red Speedo: a 'darkly comic' doping drama
The Week Recommends Lucas Hnath's play stars Finn Cole as a 'reptilian' swimmer determined to win at all costs
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
One Aldwych: where London's creative spirit takes centre stage
The Week Recommends This five-star Covent Garden hotel is the epitome of elegant independence
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why is China stockpiling resources?
The Explainer The superpower has been amassing huge reserves of commodities at great cost despite its economic downturn
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The convention speakers whose political stars rose
The Explainer Why you're likely to see the future leaders of the Democratic and Republican Parties at the conventions
By David Faris Published
-
The GOP is Donald Trump Jr.'s party now
In The Spotlight The former president's gun-loving, live-streaming adult son has emerged as more than just his father's namesake — he's become a Republican powerhouse of his own
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
For God and country: is religion in politics making a comeback?
Talking Point There are many MPs of faith in the new Labour government despite it being the most openly secular House of Commons in history
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The attack on Donald Trump
Opinion We've seen this kind of shooter before
By Susan Caskie Published
-
74 things Donald Trump has said about women
Feature The former president has a long history of controversial remarks about the opposite sex
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
DHS opens review of Trump assassination attempt
Speed Read An independent panel will investigate the Secret Service's handling of the shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Can Kamala Harris beat Trump?
Today's Big Question Some senior Democrats are unsure the vice-president can win in November even as party closes ranks behind her
By The Week UK Published