Trump Endorses Louisiana Senator John Kennedy for Reelection

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La) speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee on the fourth day of hearings on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, on Oct. 15, 2020. (Susan Walsh/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) received a “complete and total” endorsement from former President Donald Trump on Thursday for his bid for reelection in 2022.

“John Kennedy of the Great State of Louisiana is a spectacular Senator and person. He is a tireless advocate for the people of his state, and stands strongly with the forgotten men and women of our Country. Strong on energy independence, the military, our great vets, and the border, John has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump said in a statement distributed by the Save America political action committee.

Kennedy, a first-term senator, has expressed policy views that have aligned with Trump’s agenda in many areas such as in immigration, health, and China. The Lousiana senator is also a strong pro-life advocate, where he has sponsored a handful of bills protecting unborn children in the first few weeks of the 117th Congress. He also joined 42 senators to vote to acquit Trump in the former president’s second impeachment trial.

He has also introduced legislation to address concerns about Beijing-supported Confucius Institutes that he characterized as “propaganda centers that threaten academic liberty and free speech.” The bill grants full control of what a Confucius Institute teaches, the activities it can do, research grants it can receive, and individuals it can employ to the universities that host them.

The Senate unanimously passed the bill on Thursday.

“I’m thankful for President Trump’s endorsement of my re-election next year to the U.S. Senate. God bless our country!” Kennedy said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

Since leaving office, Trump has issued a number of endorsements for several Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).

Trump’s endorsements come as the GOP assesses its path forward post-Trump presidency.

While some Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have called for the party to move away from Trump, others argue that embracing the former president and his policies such as his “America First” agenda is the way forward.

The former president previously said he is currently dedicating his time to helping Republicans pave a path to victory in the 2022 and 2024 elections. He has been critical of McConnell’s leadership and has argued that the Republican Party won’t be successful in the future with McConnell at the helm.

In a statement in February, Trump said he would “back primary rivals who espouse Making America Great Again and our policy of America First.”

Article updated to include a statement from Sen. John Kennedy.