John Thune

From dKosopedia

Category: South Dakota Republicans

John Thune grew up in Murdo, South Dakota, received his undergraduate degree at Biola University and his Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota. Upon completion of his Master's Degree in 1984, he married Kimberley Weems, a native of Doland, South Dakota.

Worked for U.S. Senator Jim Abdnor and served at the Small Business Administration, appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

In 1989, John and his family returned to South Dakota, where he served as the Executive Director of the South Dakota Republican Party. In 1991, Governor George S. Mickelson appointed him the State Railroad Director, a position he held until 1993, when he became Executive Director of the South Dakota Municipal League.

In 1996, he won his first term as South Dakota's lone member of the United States House of Representatives. John was reelected to a second term by the largest margin in South Dakota history. He returned again to Washington in 2001 to serve his third term in the House.

He then honored his 1996 campaign pledge to serve only three terms in the House of Representatives. After a narrow loss in a Senate race in 2002, Thune won his Senate seat in 2004, when he defeated Tom Daschle, majority leader of the U.S. Senate. Jeff Gannon, also known as James D. Guckert, played a large role in securing Thune's victory through a paid GOP blogger smear campaign against Daschle. Thune's campaign manager was Dick Wadhams.

Thune serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Small Business Committee, and the Veterans Affairs Committee.

John and his wife Kimberley live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where their two daughters, Brittany and Larissa, attend public school. In his free time, John enjoys spending time with his family, pheasant hunting, and playing basketball.