Senator John Thune: Democrats are now recognizing the vulnerability of the border due to their desperation.

Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., believes that congressional Democrats are suddenly showing urgency to address the border crisis that they created, as their poll numbers decline and an election approaches.

In an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal published Monday, Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, stated that Democrats are taking a “bad political gamble” by assuming that Americans will trust the same people who caused the problem to solve it.

Thune’s column coincided with President Joe Biden reaching out to Republican leaders Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to seek support for a bipartisan Senate border bill that Republicans previously rejected. Thune sees this as an attempt by Democrats to emulate Republicans and gain political advantage.

“The architects of the Biden border crisis — the worst in American history — suddenly want the American people to believe they are taking action. Despite years of mismanaging border security and allowing over nine million entries through the southern border, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is indicating that there may be Senate votes related to the border,” Thune wrote.

“While it is his prerogative as leader, I doubt anyone will perceive this as anything more than political theatrics. President Biden has the authority to address the border crisis immediately, as he undid all of former President Trump’s border policies through executive actions in 2021,” Thune added.

Thune noted that the Democrats’ motivation is purely driven by the upcoming elections, particularly in key Senate races in Montana, Ohio, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, where Democratic victories are crucial for maintaining their majority in the Senate.

“Their primary concern is not national security, but rather their political survival. Only now have they realized that the open border chaos is a liability,” Thune emphasized.

Thune, who has announced his candidacy to succeed the retiring McConnell as Senate GOP leader along with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, remains critical of the Democrats’ sudden interest in addressing the border crisis.