2. PERSONAL DETAILS
PERSONAL DETAILS
• BORN JOHN RANDOLPH THUNE ON JANUARY 7, 1961 IN MURDO, SD
• MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
• GRADUATE OF BIOLA UNIVERSITY (B.A.), CLASS OF 1983; M.B.A. FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA,
1984
• JUNIOR SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA (SERVING WITH TIM JOHNSON) SINCE JANUARY 3, 2005
• 28TH CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE SINCE JANUARY 26, 2012
• MEMBER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOUTH DAKOTA’S AT-LARGE DISTRICT, JANUARY 3,
1997-JANUARY 3, 2003
OFFICIAL PORTRAIT, 111TH CONGRESS

3. SYNOPSIS
SYNOPSIS
• JOHN THUNE (R-S.D.) WON THE 2004 SENATE ELECTION AGAINST DEMOCRAT TOM DASCHLE.
• HE WAS BORN ON JANUARY 7, 1961 IN MURDO, SOUTH DAKOTA.
• HE ATTENDED BIOLA UNIVERSITY, GRADUATING IN 1983, AND EARNED AN M.B.A. FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTH DAKOTA IN 1984.
• MORE THAN A DECADE LATER, IN 1996, THUNE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN HIS FIRST BID FOR PUBLIC OFFICE WHEN
HE WAS ELECTED SOUTH DAKOTA’S STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
• IN 2002, HE RAN FOR A SEAT IN THE U.S. SENATE, BUT LOST TO INCUMBENT TIM JOHNSON (D-S.D.).
• TWO YEARS LATER, HE DEFEATED LONGTIME SENATOR TOM DASCHLE (D-S.D.).
• HE WAS RE-ELECTED UNOPPOSED IN 2010.
JOHN THUNE, 2011

4. EARLY LIFE
EARLY LIFE
• THE SECOND YOUNGEST OF FIVE CHILDREN, SOUTH DAKOTA SENATOR JOHN THUNE IS A MAN OF MODEST BEGINNINGS.
• HE GREW UP IN THE SMALL TOWN OF MURDO, SOUTH DAKOTA.
• WHILE A STUDENT AT GRAND JONES HIGH SCHOOL (NOW JONES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL), HE WAS INVOLVED IN TRACK AND
BASKETBALL.
• HE GRADUATED FROM GRAND JONES HIGH IN 1979, AND WENT WEST TO ATTEND BIOLA UNIVERSITY IN CALIFORNIA; HIS
EXPERIENCE IN COLLEGE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE DEVOTED CHRISTIAN.
• "I VALUED THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATION I GOT AT BIOLA. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE CLASSES THAT STRENGTHENED MY FAITH AND
HELPED ME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT I BELIEVE AND HOW TO, IN A PRACTICAL WAY, APPLY MY FAITH IN REAL-WORLD
SITUATIONS," THUNE LATER TOLDTHE WEEKLY STANDARD.
LOCATION OF MURDO IN THE STATE OF SD (ABOVE)
AND JONES COUNTY (BELOW)

5. JONES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BIOLA UNIVERSITY

6. EARLY LIFE – CONT.
EARLY LIFE – CONT.
• AFTER HE ACQUIRED HIS BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN 1983, THUNE RESUMED HIS STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTH DAKOTA, SEEKING A MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEGREE.
• HE SUBSEQUENTLY WENT TO WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE HE WORKED FOR A FELLOW REPUBLICAN, THEN-SENATOR
JAMES ABDNOR, IN 1985; SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, HE WAS NOMINATED BY PRESIDENT RONALD
REAGAN TO SERVE IN THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
• IN 1989, THE DEVOTED REPUBLICAN RETURNED TO SOUTH DAKOTA TO BECOME THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
• THUNE ADVANCED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, AND SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE RAILROAD; HE
BECAME THE SOUTH DAKOTA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE’S DIRECTOR IN 1993.
JOHN THUNE WITH EX-SENATOR JAMES ABDNOR, 2010

7. POLITICAL CAREER
POLITICAL CAREER
• THUNE RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1996, WHEN, AT AGE 35, HE RAN FOR THE U.S. HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
• HE WON HIS STATE’S SINGLE SEAT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DEFEATING DEMOCRAT RICK
WEILAND AND TWO INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES, STACY NELSON AND KURT EVANS.
• WHILE SERVING IN THE HOUSE, THUNE’S VOTES FOLLOWED HIS CONSERVATIVE BELIEFS.
• HE SERVED ON BOTH THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEES.
• DUE TO HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISE, THUNE CHOSE NOT TO SEEK A FOURTH TERM IN THE HOUSE; HE INSTEAD
TURNED HIS FOCUS TO ANOTHER OFFICE.
RESULTS OF UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ELECTIONS, 1996

8. RESULTS OF 1996 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTIONS
(WITH KEY)

9. POLITICAL CAREER – CONT.
POLITICAL CAREER – CONT.
• IN 2002, SIX YEARS AFTER HE WAS ELECTED TO THE HOUSE, THUNE RAN FOR THE SENATE AGAINST
DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT TIM JOHNSON.
• HE LOST TO JOHNSON IN A VERY TIGHT RACE BY OVER 500 VOTES.
• THUNE SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK SOME TIME TO RECUPERATE; HE BENEFITED FROM HIS POLITICAL EXPERIENCE
AND WORKED AS A CAMPAIGNER, BUT HIS PARTY SOON RECRUITED HIM TO MAKE ANOTHER BID FOR THE
SENATE.
• IN 2004, THUNE CHALLENGED LONGTIME DEMOCRATIC SENATOR AND THEN SENATE MINORITY LEADER TOM
DASCHLE.
RESULTS OF U.S. SENATE ELECTION IN SD, 2002

10. POLITICAL CAREER – CONT.
POLITICAL CAREER – CONT.
• BECAUSE BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES WERE FIGHTING FOR CONTROL OF THE SENATE AT THE TIME, THE 2004
SENATE ELECTION IN SOUTH DAKOTA ATTRACTED NATIONAL ATTENTION.
• THUNE PRESENTED HIMSELF AS A CONSERVATIVE FAMILY VALUES CANDIDATE, CAMPAIGNING IN OPPOSITION
TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.
• A DEVOTED PHEASANT HUNTER, THUNE ALSO PRESENTED HIMSELF AS A DEFENDER OF THE SECOND
AMENDMENT.
• THUNE DEFEATED DASCHLE BY A CLOSE MARGIN, AND ASSUMED OFFICE IN JANUARY 2005.
2004 SENATE DEBATE BETWEEN TOM DASCHLE (D)
AND JOHN THUNE (R), MEET THE PRESS

11. RESULTS OF U.S. SENATE ELECTION IN SOUTH DAKOTA,
2004
RESULTS
• THUNE (R): 197,848 VOTES (50.6%)
• DASCHLE (D): 193,340 VOTES (49.4%)
SD COUNTIES MAP

12. POLITICAL CAREER – CONT.
POLITICAL CAREER – CONT.
• SINCE HIS ELECTION TO THE SENATE, JOHN THUNE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES,
AMONG WHICH ARE THE AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY COMMITTEE; HE ALSO SERVES ON THE
BUDGET COMMITTEE.
• SENATOR THUNE ADVOCATES A LIMITED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND HAS BEEN AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC OF
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S HEALTH-CARE PLAN.
• SOME SPECULATED IN 2008 THAT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JOHN MCCAIN (R-ARIZ.) WOULD
CHOOSE SENATOR THUNE AS A RUNNING MATE.
• WHILE MCCAIN DID NOT CONSIDER SENATOR THUNE AS A RUNNING MATE IN THAT ELECTION, THERE WERE
RUMORS THAT THUNE WOULD BE A LIKELY VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE IN 2012.
• SOME EXPERTS HAVE EVEN SPECULATED IF THE YOUNG SENATOR WILL ONE DAY RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
JOHN THUNE WITH ARIZONA SENATOR JOHN
MCCAIN

13. PERSONAL LIFE
PERSONAL LIFE
• JOHN THUNE LIVES IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA WITH HIS WIFE KIMBERLEY.
• THE COUPLE HAS TWO DAUGHTERS, BRITTANY AND LARISSA.
JOHN THUNE AND HIS FAMILY

14. SIOUX FALLS

15. SOURCES
SOURCES
• SOURCES:
• HTTP://WWW.BIOGRAPHY.COM/PEOPLE/JOHN-THUNE-20840097#PERSONAL-LIFE
• OTHER LINKS:
• HTTP://WWW.THUNE.SENATE.GOV/PUBLIC/
• HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOHNTHUNE
• HTTP://WWW.THUNE.SENATE.GOV/PUBLIC/INDEX.CFM/ABOUT?P=BIOGRAPHY
• HTTP://BALLOTPEDIA.ORG/JOHN_THUNE