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WASHINGTON, D.C. 鈥� South Dakota鈥檚 two U.S. senators are staying mum on whether they鈥檒l vote to convict former President Donald Trump over charges he incited a riotous insurrection at the U.S. capitol a month ago, but they鈥檝e both acknowledged Democratic managers have at times made compelling cases against Trump in their ongoing impeachment trial.

While Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds, both Republican, voted the constitutionality of the U.S. Senate impeaching a former office holder, they鈥檝e yet to publicly state their intention to vote to acquit the 45th president, who is now residing in Florida.

Earlier this week, Thune, the second-most powerful Senate Republican, reporters that Democratic House managers arguing before the gathered senators 鈥渨ere making a very effective presentation.鈥�

Thursday, Rounds raised serious questions about Trump鈥檚 conduct on Jan. 6, with Sioux Falls radio host Greg Belfrage.

鈥淲hy didn鈥檛 he (Trump) as commander-in-chief take actions to try to assist (on Jan. 6)?鈥� asked Rounds. 鈥淚t was his vice president that was under attack.鈥�

Neither office has provided any indication of how the senators will vote. A spokeswoman for Thune said the senator would release a statement following the trial鈥檚 completion, which could come as early as this weekend.

But their willingness to at least entertain Democrats鈥� impeachment claims has found them hovering politically between congressional loyalists of the former president and more maverick-minded lawmakers, such as neighboring Wyoming Rep. and Nebraska Sen. .

While South Dakotans overwhelmingly by double-digits (garnering nearly 62% of the vote in South Dakota, compared with just over 35% for President Joe Biden), the mood among the GOP in South Dakota toward the former president has not been entirely rosy, either.

Following the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, which briefly delayed the Electoral College certification of Biden鈥檚 victory, state Senate President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck, a Watertown Republican, to lambast Republican U.S. Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, as well as others who planned to raise objections over the Electoral College vote, as 鈥渢raitors.鈥�

In an opinion column earlier this week, former U.S. Sen. Larry Pressler, a South Dakota Republican, argued Republican senators who voted to object against the Senate鈥檚 trial were 鈥渉iding behind a procedural question in order to avoid a vote that would upset Trump鈥檚 most loyal supporters.鈥�

And former Republican lawmaker , who served 16 years representing Mitchell, S.D., in the Legislature, told Forum News Service he believed the trial was an 鈥渆xercise in nothingness鈥� given that Republicans weren't likely to convict, but he didn鈥檛 mince words about Trump.

鈥淚 think he should鈥檝e been impeached after Ukraine,鈥� Olson said by phone Friday. 鈥淢aybe the Republican Party can save itself, but I think they鈥檙e in trouble.鈥�

A number of South Dakota Republicans, perhaps the vast majority, either stand by the president or oppose impeachment.

The state鈥檚 top Republican official, Gov. Kristi Noem, who tweeted in November that Trump was fighting 鈥渞igged election systems,鈥� said in a that the Capitol siege made her 鈥渟ick to my stomach,鈥� but added, 鈥渢here are important things Congress could be spending its time on.鈥�

And the state鈥檚 lone congressman, Rep. Dusty Johnson, voted , calling it 鈥渁n act sure to divide our country.鈥�

Still, eyes will be watching the South Dakota senators' votes.

While Thune drew the ire in December of Trump, who the senior senator needed a primary challenge, there are other political opponents for the three-term senator, including the state鈥檚 Democratic Party who says they hope to mount a challenge to Thune in 2022, something no Democrat did in 2010.

鈥淚f Thune does not vote to impeach the former president, that makes it easier for a Democratic candidate to decide to run,鈥� said , vice chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party. 鈥淭hat puts a fire in the belly of someone to say, 鈥榊es, I鈥檓 going to take him on.鈥欌��

On Friday, Thune reportedly told Capitol Hill press that he was open to the former president.