Thune urges Trump to stay out of race to replace McConnell

Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) is urging President-elect Trump not to put his thumb on the scale in the race to elect a successor to outgoing Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), putting a new wrinkle in the high-stakes contest.

Thune in recent days has declared his preference that Trump give Republican senators space to make their own decision about who should lead the new Senate GOP majority, arguing it would be in Trump’s “best interests” to stay neutral.