John Thune
John Thune is a prominent American politician and member of the Republican Party, known for his significant role in South Dakota's political landscape. Born on January 7, 1961, in Pierre, South Dakota, Thune grew up in Murdo and pursued higher education at Biola University, later earning an MBA from the University of South Dakota. Thune entered politics by serving in various civic roles and was notably the executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, where he served three terms. His political career took a historic turn in 2004 when he unseated then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, marking the first time in nearly fifty years that a sitting majority leader was defeated in an election.
Since then, Thune has been reelected multiple times and made history as the second South Dakotan to secure a fourth Senate term in 2022. He is known for advocating for smaller government, tax cuts, and conservative policies, including education reforms and environmental positions that align with many Republican viewpoints. Outside of his political career, Thune lives in Sioux Falls with his wife and enjoys family activities, sports, and outdoor pursuits. His extensive experience in both the House and Senate has made him a significant figure in shaping policies that impact South Dakota and the broader United States.
John Thune
Former Congressman John Thune made history when he won South Dakota’s Senate election on Nov. 3, 2004, with 51 percent of the vote. Thune won the election over Senator Tom Daschle, who had served as a senator for over eighteen years and had been the House Majority Leader for ten years. Thune's victory over Daschle was the first time in almost fifty years that a Senate majority leader was unseated in an election.
Early Life and Education
John Thune was born January 7, 1961, in Pierre, the capital of South Dakota, and grew up in the small town of Murdo. His father was a high school teacher and coach, and his mother was a school librarian. Thune graduated from Biola University, a Christian college in southern California, in 1983 and studied business administration (MBA) at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, in 1984. The same year, Thune married his college sweetheart, Kimberley Weems, a fellow South Dakota native.
Early Political Career
After graduating, Thune held several local civic positions in South Dakota. He was involved with the state municipal league and served on the board of directors for the National League of Cities. In 1985, Thune moved to Washington, DC, where he worked for South Dakota's senator, James Abdnor, whom he had met while in high school. He was also appointed to the Small Business Administration by President Ronald Reagan.
Upon returning to South Dakota in 1989, Thune became the state Republican Party executive director. In 1991, he was appointed director of South Dakota's state railroad and served as the executive director of the state's municipal league from 1993 until 1996.
House of Representatives
In 1996, Thune won South Dakota's only seat in the House of Representatives. He went on to serve two more terms as a representative, spanning from 1997 to January 2003. He was elected to his second term by the largest voting margin in the state's history.
As a representative, Thune was a member of the House Transportation Committee and the House Agriculture Committee. His involvement in both committees served South Dakota well, as he was able to attain critical funding for projects such as the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System and the new Farm Bill. Thune also helped in securing disaster relief funds in the wake of 1997's devastating winter storms and spring floods that caused severe damage across the state.
Thune is an advocate for smaller government. He believes that positive change can be accomplished through intelligent spending and saving, rather than creating committees and paperwork. Thune has worked with colleagues in Congress to balance the budget without raising taxes. As a representative, he fought to decrease taxes for lower and middle-income Americans and to create more jobs. In 2000, he voted for $46 million in tax cuts for small business owners, and in 2001, he voted for a $958 billion tax cut spread over ten years.
Thune is known as a conservative who abstains from alcohol and is active in the Presbyterian Church. Between 1999 and 2001, he voted to ban human cloning, partial-birth abortion, and the transportation of minors to clinics where they may get an abortion.
In 2001, he voted for religious organizations to receive equal tax breaks to those of secular organizations. He supports a Constitutional amendment to protect prayer in schools.
Thune is a proponent of strong educational values and opportunities. In 2001, he voted to require states to test students to ensure they are being properly educated. Thune voted to end the system of preferential treatment in US universities, which grants admission to a specified number of students according to race profiles. He voted against allowing parents to use government vouchers to transfer students into private schools. His two daughters attend public schools in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Though Thune's views on the environment tend to be similar to many Republicans, they are not popular with environmentalists. In 2000, he voted against implementing the standards from the Kyoto Protocol, a voluntary environmental clean-up and prevention program that has been adopted internationally by many countries. In 2001, he voted to allow oil drilling and development in environmentally sensitive areas, reduce companies' responsibility for hazardous waste cleanup, and voted against providing incentives for corporations to investigate alternative fuel sources other than fossil fuels.
Senate
South Dakota, with a population of 750,000 people, has only one seat in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate. Encouraged by President George W. Bush, Thune ran for Senator in 2002 but was not successful in his bid. He lost to junior senator Tim Johnson by only 527 votes. When he decided to run against Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004, the Republican Party provided massive support and helped Thune raise $12 million. Tom Daschle had served as a senator for over 18 years and had been the House Majority Leader for ten years. Between January and March of 2004, Thune was able to raise $700,000 from fellow South Dakotans, as compared to the $400,000 that Daschle raised from South Dakotans in five years. Thune's campaign ran on the platform that he understood South Dakota's values, while his opponent did not.
On November 3, 2004, John Thune won the election with 51 percent of the vote. Thune's victory over Daschle was the first time in almost fifty years that a Senate majority leader was unseated in an election. The last time this occurred was in 1952, when Barry Goldwater upset the Democratic Majority Leader from Arizona. Additionally, Thune's win was one of the many Republican victories across the country that shifted the balance of power in the US Congress. With the 2004 election, Republicans won control of both Congress and the White House. Thune was reelected in 2010, running unopposed, and to a third term in 2016. In 2022, he made history as the second South Dakotan to be elected to a fourth US Senate term. With the planned retirement of Sen. Mitch McConnell as Republican Senate leader in 2025, Thune expressed interest in seeking the position.
When he is not in Washington, Thune lives with his wife in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and enjoys spending time with his two daughters and five grandchildren. His hobbies include basketball, which he has played since high school, running, and pheasant hunting.
Bibliography
“Biography.” John Thune for U.S. Senator, www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/biography. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024.
Groves, Stephen. "John Thune Is Striving to be the Next Republican Senate Leader, but Can He Rise in Trump’s GOP?" Associated Press, 18 Sept. 2024, apnews.com/article/trump-senate-john-thune-republican-leader-c34ecb7479cee50c24aacf3fef83dcfc. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024.
“Senator John Thune." Congress, www.congress.gov/member/john-thune/T000250. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024.