Republican Sen. Mike Rounds blasted back at Former President Donald Trump, who called him a ‘jerk’ and vowed never to endorse him again after he called the 2020 presidential election ‘fair.’
Late Monday, hours after Trump’s blistering attack, Rounds hit back at the former president – rather than keep his head down amid the attack as many elected Republicans have chosen to do.
‘I’m disappointed but not surprised by the former president’s reaction. However, the facts remain the same. I stand by my statement. The former president lost the 2020 election,’ Rounds said in a statement.
‘Additionally, Vice President Mike Pence stood his ground, acknowledged President Biden’s victory and acted with integrity. It’s time the rest of us do the same’ he said – bringing up the sore subject of Trump’s fury at the former vice president for failing to refuse to count votes certified for Democrat Joe Biden.
Sen. Mitt Romeny (R-Utah), another frequent Trump target, chimed in on Twitter to support Rounds.
‘Mike Rounds speaks truth knowing that our Republic depends upon it. Republicans like Govs Hutchinson, Baker & Hogan; Sens McConnell, Thune & Johnson; Bush & Cheney; plus 60+ courts and even the right-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial page agree: Joe Biden won the election,’ he wrote.
He was referencing fellow Republican governors Asa Hutchinson, Charlie Baker, and Larry Hogan, as well as Sens. Mitch McConnell, John Thune, and Ron Johnson.
Trump ripped Rounds after the South Dakota lawmaker called the 2020 election ‘fair’ and said Republicans ‘simply did not win’ the White House.
Trump, who has made support for his election fraud claims a litmus test, previously endorsed Rounds before his own 2020 election – says he will not do so again in the future.
‘I hereby firmly pledge that he will never receive my Endorsement again!’ Trump said in a statement from his pac.
Trump’s attack comes after Rounds appeared on ABC’s ‘This Week’ to call the election fair.
‘The election was fair, as fair as we’ve seen. We simply did not win the election, as Republicans, for the presidency,’ said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said Sunday. Former President Donald Trump accused him of ‘going woke’ and said he would never endorse him again, as he did in 2020
‘As a part of our due diligence, we looked at over 60 different accusations made in multiple states. While there were some irregularities, there were none of the irregularities which would have risen to the point where they would have changed the vote outcome in a single state,’ he said.
‘The election was fair, as fair as we’ve seen. We simply did not win the election, as Republicans, for the presidency,’ said Rounds.
ABC’s ‘This Week’ host George Stephanopoulos had asked him: ‘What do you say to all those Republicans, all those veterans who believe the election was stolen, who have bought the falsehoods coming from’ Trump.
Rounds spoke days after President Joe Biden tore into Trump during a Jan. 6th speech from the Capitol, where he used emphasis to call Trump a ‘defeated’ former president.
Former President Donald Trump said ‘he will never receive my Endorsement again!’
Senator John Thune (R-SD) announced this past weekend he will seek another 6-year term
Rounds hit back after Trump called him a ‘jerk’ and vowed never to endorse him again – having done so previously
‘“Senator” Mike Rounds of the Great State of South Dakota just went woke on the Fraudulent Presidential Election of 2020,’ Trump said, ridiculing Rounds’ title.
Trump said Rounds ‘found the election to be ok’ despite ‘massive evidence’ he said was ‘pouring in from Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other states.’
‘Is he crazy or just stupid?’ Trump asked.
‘The only reason he did this is because he got my endorsement and easily won his state in 2020, so now he thinks he has time, and those are the only ones, the weak, who will break away,’ Trump predicted. ‘Even though his election will not be coming up for 5 years, I will never endorse this jerk again.’
He called Rounds a ‘RINO.’
‘The Radical Left Democrats and RINOS, like “Senator” Mike Rounds, do not make it easy for our Country to succeed. He is a weak and ineffective leader, and I hereby firmly pledge that he will never receive my Endorsement again!’ Trump concluded.
Rounds’ home-state colleague GOP Sen. John Thune announced this past weekend that he would seek reelection. Trump has also gone after Thune, calling him a ‘RINO’ as well.
Rounds also urged Republicans not to dwell on the fraud claims because it could hurt the party.
‘If we simply look back and tell our people, “Don’t vote because there’s cheating going on,” then we’re going to put ourselves in a huge disadvantage,’ he said. “So, moving forward, let’s focus on what it takes to win those elections. We can do that.’
Rounds voted to certify the electoral votes that made Joe Biden president.