DAVID MARCUS: Heritage Foundation holds midterm postmortem and roast of John Thune

A post-election gathering

The Heritage Foundation held its Forum at the Gaylord Resort at National Harbor in Maryland. The conservative think tank had planned the event before Republicans’ midterm losses, but president Kevin Roberts told Fox News Digital that the results made it more important.

The discussions centered on why Republicans suffered a major defeat and how the party could regain ground. Attendees also debated the GOP’s future and possible 2028 contenders.

Criticism of Thune’s leadership

Roberts accused Thune of “watered-down conservatism,” while criticism from other attendees grew sharper. Dan Schneider, vice president of the Media Research Center, said Senate leaders had pursued a strategy of “losing slowly.” The SAVE America Act became a focus of the dispute. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told attendees he was tired of Thune’s unwillingness to hold a vote on bypassing the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Filibuster dispute continues

Thune opposed pressure on him and Republicans to launch a talking filibuster. He told Fox News Digital that nobody knew how the process would end, criticizing those who claimed otherwise.

The forum’s debate reflected disagreements over how Senate Republicans should respond to their losses. The criticism of Thune formed part of a broader discussion about the party’s path forward.