John Thune

John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a United States Representative for SD's at-large congressional district.

Early life, education, and early political career
Thune was born in the small town of Murdo, South Dakota, the son of Yvonne Patricia (maiden name Bodine), and Harold Richard Thune. Thune's paternal grandfather, Nick Thune, was an immigrant from Norway who partnered with his brother Matt to start Thune Hardware stores in Mitchell and Murdo, South Dakota. His maternal grandfather was from Ontario in Canada, and Thune's mother had been born in Saskatchewan. Thune was a star athlete in high school, and was active in basketball, track, and football and also played college basketball at Biola University. Thune remains athletically active and frequently competes in running events. A 2012 feature by "Runner's World Magazine" noted that Thune has "been the fastest man in Congress since 2009."

After graduating from Biola University in California in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business, Thune received the degree of Master of Business Administration from the University of South Dakota in 1984.

Thune worked as a legislative aide for U.S. Senator James Abdnor from 1985 to 1987. In 1980, Abdnor had made political history by defeating U.S. Senator George McGovern, perhaps the most iconic figure in American liberalism. Abdnor was the son of a Lebanese immigrant peddler who settled in Lyman County, South Dakota and ran a main street general store which was similar to the hardware store run by the Thune family on the main street of Murdo in neighboring Jones County.

In 1989, Thune move to Pierre, South Dakota, where he served as executive director of the Republican Party for two years. Thune was appointed Railroad Director of South Dakota by Governor George S. Mickelson, serving from 1991 to 1993. From 1993 to 1996, he was executive director of the South Dakota Municipal League.

Elections
In 1996, Thune decided to make his first foray into elective politics. That year, Thune entered the race for South Dakota's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representative. The Almanac of American Politics explained that Thune "entered the 1996 race as very much an underdog." Thune's primary opponent was sitting Lt. Governor Carole Hillard of Rapid City, who benefited from the support of the long-term South Dakota governor Bill Janklow. A poll released in May 1996 showed Hillard ahead of Thune 69%-15%. By relying on strong personal skills and the help of the old network of Abdnor friends, Thune won the primary, defeating Hillard 59%-41%. In the general election, Thune defeated Democrat Rick Weiland, a long-serving aide to U.S. Senator Tom Daschle, 58%-37%. Weiland carried only six counties (his home, a university county, and four Indian counties), according to the Almanac of American Politics. Thune won his subsequent races for U.S. House by wide margins. He won re-election in 1998 with 75% of the vote and in 2000 with 73% of the vote. In 2002, after briefly considering a run for governor of South Dakota, Thune set his sights on a run for the U.S. Senate.

Elections

 * 2002

Instead of running for governor after the end of Governor Bill Janklow's fourth term, Thune challenged incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Tim Johnson in 2002. Thune lost his bid by only 524 votes (0.15%). One study concluded: “While the margin of victory [for Johnson] was a mere 524 votes, getting into that winning position required a number of important factors, including Native American turnout, the ability of Johnson and his allies to more effectively use the ground war to get their message out, Thune’s ineffectiveness on the air and lack of experience in winning competitive elections, low voter turnout in key Republican counties, the drought, and finally the presence of Kurt Evans. Evans, a Libertarian candidate who withdrew from the race, endorsed Thune, but remained on the ballot and ciphered away more votes from Thune than Johnson. Evans received only 3,070 votes, but that ended up being six times greater than the margin of victory.” Despite the contested nature of the race, Thune did not challenge the results.


 * 2004

Following his 2002 loss to Tim Johnson, Thune challenged Tom Daschle, the United States Senate Minority Leader and leader of the Senate Democrats, in the 2004 elections. In early 2003, Daschle unexpectedly decided not to run for President. CNN reported that the "announcement surprised even some of his closest aides, one of whom told CNN plans were being made for Daschle to announce his candidacy Saturday in his hometown of Aberdeen, South Dakota."

The race was the most expensive Senate race in 2004, with $30 million spent, and the most expensive in South Dakota history. It was widely followed in the national media. Thune – along with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, President of the United States George W. Bush, and Vice President Dick Cheney – painted Daschle as the "chief obstructionist" of Bush's agenda: "Thune was able to criticize 'Daschle for serving incompatible masters' and portray him, as Frist did when he came to South Dakota to campaign for Thune, as a partisan obstructionist and political heir to liberal icon and former Senator George McGovern of South Dakota."

Daschle's critics charged the Democrat with using filibusters to block confirmation of several of Bush's nominees to the federal judiciary, and being out of step with the views of South Dakota voters on other political and social issues: "The GOP had targeted Daschle, the Senate minority leader, claiming he had been the chief obstruction to President Bush on such issues as tax cuts, judicial nominees and the war in Iraq."

When the race began in early 2004, Daschle led by 7% in January and February. By May, his lead fell to just 2% and into the summer polls showed an effective tie. Throughout September, Daschle led Thune by margins of 2–5%; from October until the November 2 election, most polls showed Thune and Daschle tied 49% to 49% among likely voters.

On November 2, 2004, Thune defeated Daschle by 4,508 votes, winning 51% of the vote. Daschle's loss was the first ousting of a incumbent Floor Leader since 1952, when Arizona Senator Ernest McFarland lost his seat to Barry Goldwater. The New York Times reported that the loss made “Mr. Daschle the first Senate party leader in more than five decades to be voted out of office. The race had been closely watched by both parties, with White House officials calling the senator an obstructionist for opposing the president on the war in Iraq, tax cuts and judicial nominees. Senator Daschle had fought hard, raising $16 million during the campaign as of mid-October, which he spent largely on television advertisements. Mr. Thune had raised $10 million by the same time.” South Dakota native Tom Brokaw commented that Thune "ran a very strong campaign" to win the 2004 race. University of South Dakota political scientist Bill Richardson said "motivated John Thune supporters went to the polls in large numbers, part of a massive South Dakota turnout. Unofficial results show nearly 80 percent of registered voters cast ballots."


 * 2010

Thune faced no Democratic or other opposition for his US Senate seat in 2010, and thus won re-election. One political observer of South Dakota politics noted in 2010 that it was "the first time in the state’s modern history in which a major party has failed to field a Senate candidate."

Tenure
As a U.S. Senator, Thune also took a leading role in formulating energy policy. He pushed for the final passage of a comprehensive energy bill, which finally overcame a series of Democratic filibusters and passed the Senate in 2005. Thune helped pass another energy bill in late 2007. Thune is a particular advocate developing alternative sources of energy such as ethanol and wind energy, which are linked to South Dakota's high levels of corn production and its windy prairies. Thune's hometown of Murdo is considered one of the windiest towns in the nation.

Thune also became a strong advocate of conservative causes such as gun rights. Thune's emergence as a conservative voice in the US Senate led to a lengthy profile in conservative magazine The Weekly Standard. The American Conservative Union gave Senator Thune a rating of 100 in 2006, and again in 2010; as of 2010, Thune's lifetime ACU rating was 88.97.

On December 6, 2006, Thune was chosen by Senate Republican Whip Trent Lott to be the GOP's Chief Deputy Whip. After briefly serving as Republican Conference Vice-Chairman, Thune became chairman of the Republican Policy Committee in June 2009, which is the fourth-ranking position in the Senate. He was then elected Republican Conference Chairman in 2011, taking office in January 2012. The Conference Chairman is the third-ranking position in the US Senate. In late 2011, the Mitchell Daily Republic reported that "Thune’s elevation to the No. 3 spot makes him the highest-ranking Republican senator in South Dakota history. Thune has served as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 2009 until the present time and was vice chairman of the Republican Conference from 2008 to 2009 and the Republican chief deputy whip from 2006 to 2008."

Committee assignments
Source: John Thune
 * Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
 * Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit
 * Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology (Ranking Member)
 * Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support
 * Committee on Finance
 * United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness (Ranking Member)
 * Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
 * Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security (Ranking Member)
 * Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
 * Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion
 * Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
 * Subcommittee on Science and Space
 * Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
 * Committee on Budget

Speculation for higher office
Prior to the selection of Sarah Palin, Thune was mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick for Republican Presumptive Nominee John McCain in the 2008 presidential election. Thune publicly played down the speculation. According to one source, McCain was looking for a "game changer" and did not believe that Thune would have a "game-changing" effect on the campaign.

Significant speculation arose regarding a potential 2012 presidential bid by Thune. Thune was encouraged to run by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who called him "a consensus builder." One Wall Street Journal article stated that Thune possesses "name ID in the parts of the first caucus state of Iowa that get neighboring South Dakota media, a $6.9 million bank account he could use for a presidential run, and a national fundraising list of 100,000 names from his race against [former Senator Tom] Daschle." DNC Executive Director Jennifer O'Malley Dillon publicly stated that "among a field of generally flawed (in one way or another) Republican presidential candidates, there is one who genuinely scares her. 'This is personal[,] but John Thune is somebody that I have nightmares about,' she said.  'I've worked for Tim Johnson and Tom Daschle and he is just a guy you can't ever count out.'"  According to multiple commentators, a Thune candidacy could be helped by his personal appearance (he "looks like a president"). On February 22, 2011, however, Thune announced he would not run in the presidential election in 2012.

During the summer of 2012, the USA Today reported that "South Dakota's Thune is on short list for vice president," but Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan was instead selected.

Electoral history
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%" !|Year ! !|Democrat !|Votes !|Pct ! !|Republican !|Votes !|Pct ! !|3rd Party !|Party !|Votes !|Pct ! !|3rd Party !|Party !|Votes !|Pct !
 * + South Dakota's at-large congressional district: Results 1996–2000
 * 1996
 * |Rick Weiland
 * align="right" |119,547
 * |37%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |186,393
 * |58%
 * |Stacey L. Nelson
 * |Independent
 * align="right" |10,397
 * align="right" |3%
 * |Kurt Evans
 * |Independent
 * align="right" |6,866
 * align="right" |2%
 * 1998
 * |Jeff Moser
 * align="right" |64,433
 * |25%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |194,157
 * |75%
 * 2000
 * |Curt Hohn
 * align="right" |78,321
 * |25%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |231,083
 * |73%
 * |Brian Lerohl
 * |Libertarian
 * align="right" |5,357
 * align="right" |2%
 * 2000
 * |Curt Hohn
 * align="right" |78,321
 * |25%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |231,083
 * |73%
 * |Brian Lerohl
 * |Libertarian
 * align="right" |5,357
 * align="right" |2%
 * |Curt Hohn
 * align="right" |78,321
 * |25%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |231,083
 * |73%
 * |Brian Lerohl
 * |Libertarian
 * align="right" |5,357
 * align="right" |2%
 * |Libertarian
 * align="right" |5,357
 * align="right" |2%

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%" !|Year ! !|Democrat !|Votes !|Pct ! !|Republican !|Votes !|Pct ! !|3rd Party !|Party !|Votes !|Pct !
 * + Senate elections in South Dakota: Results 2002–2004
 * 2002
 * |Tim Johnson
 * align="right" |167,481
 * |50%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |166,949
 * |49%
 * |Kurt Evans
 * |Libertarian
 * align="right" |3,071
 * align="right" |1%
 * 2004
 * |Tom Daschle
 * align="right" |193,340
 * |49%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |197,848
 * |51%
 * 2010
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |227,947
 * |100%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |197,848
 * |51%
 * 2010
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |227,947
 * |100%
 * 2010
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |227,947
 * |100%
 * 2010
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |227,947
 * |100%
 * |John R. Thune
 * align="right" |227,947
 * |100%
 * align="right" |227,947
 * |100%

Personal life
Thune married the former Kimberley Weems of Doland, South Dakota in 1984. They have two daughters, Brittany and Larissa.

Thune is a fan of the bands Styx, Journey, Boston, the Doobie Brothers, and Cows.

Thune's father, Harold, was a fighter pilot during World War II who flew the F6F-5 Hellcat. KELO News reported that "Thune flew numerous missions for the Navy from an aircraft carrier. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down four enemy planes in the Hellcat." Harold Thune flew his missions off of the USS Intrepid.

= Resources =