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John Thune Receives the Titan of Public Service Award in Utah

Sen. John Thune said Republicans need to “focus on the issues” in the 2024 election if they want to win the presidency and control of the Senate.

Thune, the Senate Republican whip, made the comments in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, where he received the Titan of Public Service Award from the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation. Thune served with the late Sen. Hatch for years, and he called Hatch one of the Senate’s most effective lawmakers.

Last year’s award winner was Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who Thune hopes to replace as leader of the Republican conference when McConnell steps down in a few months. Besides Thune, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida are in the running for the leadership role.

Thune was introduced Wednesday by Rep. John Curtis, who is the Republican nominee for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Mitt Romney. Curtis has not yet said who he’ll support if he wins the Senate seat, which is considered a safe Republican seat.

Another of Thune and Hatch’s Senate colleagues, former Oregon Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, engaged the South Dakota senator in a center-stage, back-and-forth conversation before lawmakers, business leaders and other distinguished community members gathered in the ballroom of the Grand America in Salt Lake City. Smith asked Thune about his family and faith, his views on American involvement in Ukraine and Israel, and whether he thinks Republicans can win the Senate majority in November.

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