John Thune
John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961)[1] is an American politician. Thune is the senior United States Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He used to be a United States Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district. In 2025, he became the Senate Majority Leader.
John Thune | |||||||||
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| File:John Thune 117th Congress portrait.jpg Official portrait, 2021 | |||||||||
| Senate Majority Leader | |||||||||
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |||||||||
| Whip | John Barrasso | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Chuck Schumer | ||||||||
| Leader of the Senate Republican Conference | |||||||||
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |||||||||
| Preceded by | Mitch McConnell | ||||||||
| Senate Minority Whip | |||||||||
| In office January 20, 2021 – January 3, 2025 | |||||||||
| Leader | Mitch McConnell | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Dick Durbin | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Dick Durbin | ||||||||
| Senate Majority Whip | |||||||||
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 20, 2021 | |||||||||
| Leader | Mitch McConnell | ||||||||
| Preceded by | John Cornyn | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Dick Durbin | ||||||||
| Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee | |||||||||
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019 | |||||||||
| Preceded by | Jay Rockefeller | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Roger Wicker | ||||||||
| Chair of the Senate Republican Conference | |||||||||
| In office January 26, 2012 – January 3, 2019 | |||||||||
| Leader | Mitch McConnell | ||||||||
| Vice Chair | Roy Blunt | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Lamar Alexander | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | John Barrasso | ||||||||
| Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee | |||||||||
| In office June 17, 2009 – January 26, 2012 | |||||||||
| Leader | Mitch McConnell | ||||||||
| Preceded by | John Ensign | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | John Barrasso | ||||||||
| United States Senator from South Dakota | |||||||||
| Assumed office January 3, 2005 Serving with Mike Rounds | |||||||||
| Preceded by | Tom Daschle | ||||||||
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's at-large district | |||||||||
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003 | |||||||||
| Preceded by | Tim Johnson | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Bill Janklow | ||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born | John Randolph Thune 7 January 1961 (aged 65) Pierre, South Dakota, U.S. | ||||||||
| Political party | Republican | ||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Kimberley Weems
(m. 1984) | ||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||
| Education | Biola University (BA) University of South Dakota (MBA) | ||||||||
| Signature | John Thune's signature | ||||||||
| Website | Senate website | ||||||||
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Thune was born on January 7, 1961 in Pierre, South Dakota. He is of Norwegian descent.[2] Thune studied at Biola University and at the University of South Dakota. He has been married to Kimberley Weems since 1984. They have two children.
Thune was selected by the Senate Republican Conference to become the Majority Whip for the 116th Congress, replacing Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who was term limited in the position.[3] In 2021, he became Senate Minority Whip.
In 2024, Thune was elected to be the Senate Republican leader, replacing Mitch McConnell. Thune is the first Senate party leader to have originally taken office as a senator in the 21st century.[4]
John Thune Media
- FEMA - 891 - Photograph by Andrea Booher taken on 06-05-1998 in South Dakota.jpg
Representative John Thune surveys tornado damage in Spencer, South Dakota on June 5, 1998, alongside Governor Bill Janklow, Senator Tom Daschle, Vice President Al Gore, Senator Tim Johnson, FEMA Director James Lee Witt, and FEMA Regional Director Rick Weiland. Photo by Andrea Booher/FEMA News Photo.
- John Thune, official portrait, 111th Congress.jpg
Thune in 2010 (111th Congress)
- John Thune and Benjamin Netanyahu.jpg
Thune with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 2011
- Thune eats with Soldier (6102055).jpg
Thune at Powidz Air Base in Poland
- John Thune and Benjamin Netanyahu (2025) 01.jpg
Thune with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 6, 2025
- President Donald Trump and Melania Trump with Senator John Thune.jpg
Kimberley and John Thune with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, 2025
- John Thune (53301829345).jpg
Thune speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition 2023 Annual Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- John Thune with family (2025).jpg
Senator Thune with his family in 2025
- Sen. Thune swearing in reenactment.jpg
Thune and his wife Kimberley with Vice President Dick Cheney
References
- ↑ Brooks, David (2009-11-13). "Meet John Thune". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/opinion/13brooks.html.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).[dead link]
- ↑ staff, The Hill. “Live Updates: Johnson Nominated for Speaker, Thune Elected Senate GOP Leader.” The Hill, 13 Nov. 2024, https://web.archive.org/web/20241113184833/https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4987984-house-senate-republicans-leadership-election/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
Other websites
- United States Senator John Thune official U.S. Senate site
- Friends of John Thune official campaign site
- www.amazon.com
- Profile Archived 2012-08-22 at the Wayback Machine from SourceWatch
- Representative-Elect John Thune (R-SD) profile from CNN, 1996
