Sen. John Barrasso is now the highest-ranking Republican senator to endorse former President Donald Trump's campaign for the White House, saying that Trump and a "new conservative-led Senate partnership will restore American greatness."
"When President Trump was in office, we had the best economy in my lifetime and most of our lifetimes, we had energy independence, our enemies feared us, and we had a secure border," the Wyoming Republican, who chairs the Senate Republican Conference, told Fox News Tuesday night, reports The Washington Examiner.
"Under Joe Biden, we have high prices, we have a wide open border," he added during the interview.
In a statement released after his initial announcement, Barrasso, the third-highest-ranking Senate Republican, said that conservative leadership "means putting freedom ahead of government power and economic strength over government subsidies. It means putting affordable, available, reliable American energy and American energy workers back on top."
Trump, while thanking Barrasso for his "powerful endorsement," commented on his Truth Social page Tuesday night that "to know John is to both like and respect him, a truly extraordinary man."
Barrasso's endorsement for Trump comes as he's been touted to potentially replace Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as the GOP senate leader, reports Newsweek.
Barrasso is running for reelection in November, with McConnell maintaining that he intends to remain in office at least until his current Senate term ends in January 2027. However, the Kentucky Republican has not confirmed if he will stay as the party's Senate leader after the November elections.
Talk about a successor to McConnell, 81, grew last year after he suffered several apparent medical episodes, including when he froze and seemed to be disoriented while speaking to reporters in July 2023 at the Capitol. During that incident, Barrasso was the senator who led McConnell away.
McConnell has not endorsed any candidates for president. Senate GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota had endorsed Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who has since dropped out of the presidential race, but has not yet announced an endorsement for another candidate.
Before Barrasso's endorsement, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Steve Daines, R-Mont., was the top party member in the Senate to back Trump.
Trump has also been endorsed by 20 of the 49 Republicans in the Senate. In addition to Barrasso, the former president's campaign has been backed by GOP Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee; Mike Braun, Indiana; Katie Britt, Alabama; Ted Budd, North Carolina; Kevin Cramer, North Dakota; Tom Cotton, Arkansas; Lindsey Graham, South Carolina; Bill Hagerty, Tennessee; Josh Hawley, Missouri; John Hoeven, North Dakota; Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi; Roger Marshall, Kansas; Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma; Eric Schmitt, Missouri; Rick Scott, Florida; Tommy Tuberville, Alabama; J.D. Vance, Ohio; and Roger Wicker, Mississippi.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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