How a nice-guy South Dakota senator fell into a Trump storm | TheHill

Sen. Mike RoundsMike RoundsMcConnell: Rounds 'told the truth' about 2020 election The Hill's Morning Report - Biden to make voting rights play in Atlanta Rounds doesn't back down from Trump, who 'lost the 2020 election' MORE (R-S.D.), a lawmaker who doesn't often make news, found himself in the midst of a political firestorm this week after he told ABC’s George StephanopoulosGeorge Robert StephanopoulosGOP senator says he would 'take a hard look' at another Trump run The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Altria - Jan. 6 Capitol attack back in spotlight Cheney cites testimony that Ivanka asked Trump to 'please stop this violence' on Jan. 6 MORE that President BidenJoe BidenBiden's nominee for Fed's No. 2 post says combating inflation top task Harris says she won't 'absolve' senators over voting rights push Obama backs Biden push on changing filibuster MORE fairly won the 2020 election. The comments thrust Rounds into the spotlight and Trump responded with an angry attack, accusing Rounds of going “woke” and pledging “I will never endorse this jerk again.”  Rounds, who served two terms as his state’s governor and usually keeps a low profile, is known as one of the nicest guys in the Senate and said Trump’s attack was only the second time he can ever remember being called a jerk. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHouse to vote on consolidated election bill Thursday, Pelosi says Black Democrats hammer Manchin for backing filibuster on voting rights Durbin says Biden may have gone 'a little too far' in Georgia speech MORE (R-Ky.) told CNN Tuesday that “Rounds told the truth about what happened in the 2020 election,” adding “I agree with him.”  And Senate Minority Whip John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneDemocrats: Don't reject GOP offer to fix electoral count law McConnell: Rounds 'told the truth' about 2020 election McConnell will run for another term as leader despite Trump's attacks MORE (R-S.D.), who himself became a target of Trump’s wrath after lobbying his colleagues not to object to the Electoral College tally of Biden’s victory, sympathized with Rounds over the tongue-lashing. “Rehashing 2020 isn’t going to get us there.” Other Republican senators, however, pushed back on Rounds.“I would question why you maybe make a statement on that, unsolicited anyway, given what it’s going to generate in terms of a counterpunch,” Sen. Mike BraunMichael BraunMcConnell will run for another term as leader despite Trump's attacks Biden's court picks face fierce GOP opposition Senate Republicans call on Biden to lift vaccine mandate for truckers crossing Canadian border MORE (R-Ind.) said when asked about Rounds’s comments about the 2020 election.