John Thune is the Republican Senator representing South Dakota. Thune was re-elected in November, 2010 for his second term. Thune served three terms in the U.S House of Representatives prior to his election to the senate.http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Biography.Home
John Thune ran unopposed in his senatorial re-election bid in 2010. His second term re-election makes him the first U.S. senate candidate to win unopposed in history.http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Biography.Home John Thune made appearances at events for other Republican Senate nominees during the campaign season in 2010 between mid October and early November. He was scheduled to be a headline speaker at the following rallies for the following candidates: Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Ken Buck in Colorado, Dino Rossi in Washington, Dan Coats in Indiana and Ron Johnson in Wisconsin.http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/afternoon-fix/afternoon-fix-john-thune-to-ca.html Thune, who has risen in the ranks of Republican leadership, has emerged in the media as a potential 2012 presidential candidate, though this is not officially confirmed by his campaign management team.http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_bb906d22-ae5d-11df-94c5-001cc4c03286.html
Biography
John Thune was born and raised in South Dakota. Thune graduated from Biola University, a small evangelical college in Los Angeles, California in 1983, before receiving his M.B.A. from the University of South Dakota the following year.http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Biography.Home His first major political position came in 1991, when he was appointed Railroad Director of South Dakota.
He is married to Kimberly Weems Thune, also a native of South Dakota. The couple has two grown daughters, Kimberly and Larissa.http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Biography.Home
Political Career and Legislation
Thune was chosen to be the Republicans' Chief Deputy Whip in 2004.http://rpc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=AboutJohnThune Before becoming a senator, Thune served as the sole South Dakota representative in the U.S. House from 1997 to 2003. In 2007, Thune endorsed John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.http://mccainiowa08.blogspot.com/
During his time in congress, Thune has voted along with his Republican Party 95.3% of the time.http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/t000250/ Along with nine other senators, from both the Republican and Democratic parties, Thune is a member of the, so called, "Gang of 10". In early August of 2008, the Gang of 10 proposed legislation designed to be a compromise between the two parties' positions on national energy reform and designed to alleviate the United States' energy crisis.
John Thune Timeline
1961: Born in Pierre, South Dakota
1983: Graduated from Biola University with a degree in Business
1984: Received MBA from the University of South Dakota
1989: Became executive director of South Dakota Republican Party www.southdakotagop.com/
1991-93: Appointed by Governor Mickelson as State Railroad Director http://www.sddot.com/fpa/railroad/basic.asp<ref>
1996: Elected to South Dakota's seat in U.S. House of Representatives
2004: Choosen as Chief Deputy Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives
2005: Assumes office in first term as U.S. Senator
2010: Runs unopposed and wins second term senate re-election^http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_bb906d22-ae5d-11df-94c5-001cc4c03286.html
John Thune Presents the Weekly Republican Address
John Thune presents the weekly Republican address for 10/23/2010. He focuses on the upcoming elections and the issues of jobs in America. He highlights what he calls the "administrations failed policies" and the "Obama experiment". The health care plan, promised by the democrats, did not deliver what was promised, according to Thune's address. Republicans want to reverse the Democrats plan to raise taxes on small businesses, repeal the flawed health care law, and reduce the uncertainty of the marketplace. The choice, according to Thune, is clear.
John Thune
John Thune speaks here on the floor of the Senate on the topic of immigration. He recounts a personal experience with an individual constituent who chose to leave the country because she was an illegal immigrant, in order to obtain legal immigration status according to existing US law. He also critiques the idea that proposing amendments to the bill on the floor is anti-immigrant. He goes on to describe his own families immigration story, explaining how his grandfather came to the U.S. as an immigrant from Norway.
References
Fast Facts
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Born
January 7, 1961
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Birthplace
Pierre, South Dakota
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Party
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Assumed office
First term in U.S. Senate began: January 3, 2005
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Religion
Evangelical Christian
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Former profession
Executive Director of the South Dakota Municipal League (1993-1996) and State Railroad Director (1991-1993)
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Alma matter
University of South Dakota 1984, Biola University, 1983
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Spouse
Kimberley Thune
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U.S. House of Representatives
Served three terms beginning in 1996
