Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Friday said that the Senate races in Michigan and Minnesota could see two more Republicans in the upper chamber of Congress next year.
Thune, in an interview with Fox News, was asked if Michigan and Minnesota are targets for Republicans. Both states have upcoming Senate races in which the incumbents are not running for reelection.
"I think they are" potential Republican pickups, Thune said.
"I mean, those are open seats. Minnesota is arguably slightly harder than Michigan," he added.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris won Minnesota by 4 points in 2024, while President Donald Trump won Michigan by just over 1 point.
"Both are ... states that we haven't elected a Republican senator ... from in a long time," Thune said.
"But I think that these are different times, and people are looking for change in this country. And I think even states that have traditionally been blue states present opportunities for us."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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