Challenges in the Life of John Thune in a Detailed Timeline

Life is full of challenges, and John Thune faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

John Thune is the senior United States Senator from South Dakota, serving since 2005. A Republican, he previously served as a U.S. Representative for South Dakota from 1997 to 2003. He currently holds the position of Senate majority leader and Senate Republican leader, a role he has held since 2025. Thune is currently serving his fourth term in the Senate and is the dean of South Dakota's congressional delegation.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

May 1996: Poll Showing Hillard Leading Thune

In May 1996, a poll indicated that Carole Hillard was leading John Thune by a margin of 69%-15% in the Republican primary for South Dakota's U.S. House seat.

2002: Lost Senate Race

In 2002, John Thune ran against incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Johnson and lost by a narrow margin of 524 votes (0.15%).

November 2006: Thune's belief on US winning the Iraq War

In November 2006, John Thune expressed his belief that the U.S. could achieve victory in the Iraq War through stability. He emphasized the importance of preventing Iraq from becoming a staging ground for terrorist attacks and supported military commanders having the final say on troop reduction.

December 2010: Thune voted against New START

In December 2010, John Thune was among the 26 senators who voted against the ratification of New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation. This treaty aimed to limit both countries to no more than 1,550 strategic warheads and 700 launchers, while also continuing on-site inspections.

February 22, 2011: Thune announced he would not run for president in 2012

On February 22, 2011, John Thune announced that he would not be running for president in 2012.

November 2012: Thune requested a review of Wanxiang Group's plan to acquire A123

In November 2012, John Thune, alongside Chuck Grassley, requested that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner review the Wanxiang Group's plan to acquire A123 Systems, a bankrupt battery maker. The senators sought to ensure that U.S. military and taxpayer interests in A123 were protected during the transaction.

2012: Thune declined to seek the presidency in 2016

In 2016, John Thune declined to seek the presidency, stating that his "window ... might have closed in 2012".

March 2016: Thune opposed considering President Obama's Supreme Court nominee

In March 2016, approximately seven months before the presidential election, John Thune declared his opposition to considering President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court. Thune stated that the next president should make this lifetime appointment, as the American people deserved to have their voices heard on the nomination of the next Supreme Court justice.

September 2016: Thune signed a letter advocating against Russia's airstrikes in Syria

In September 2016, John Thune was among 34 senators who signed a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry. The letter advocated that the United States employ "all available tools to dissuade Russia from continuing its airstrikes in Syria" from an Iranian airbase near Hamadan. The senators argued that these airstrikes violated a legally binding Security Council Resolution on Iran.

2016: Thune declined to seek the presidency in 2016

In 2016, John Thune declined to seek the presidency, stating that his "window ... might have closed in 2012".

June 2017: Thune co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act

In June 2017, John Thune co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (s. 720). The act proposed making it a federal crime to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel, with a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment.

July 2017: Thune said Republicans would continue trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act

In July 2017, John Thune stated that Republicans would persist in their efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, irrespective of whether the current month's attempt failed. He emphasized that it was not a matter of if, but when, they would vote to repeal and replace Obamacare.

October 3, 2017: Thune's Response to the Las Vegas Mass Shooting

On October 3, 2017, following the mass shooting in Las Vegas, John Thune suggested that the shooter used conversion kits to make the weapons more lethal. He added that people may need to take precautions to protect themselves, advising them to "get small" in dangerous situations.

January 2018: Thune signed a letter requesting Trump preserve NAFTA

In January 2018, John Thune was among 36 Republican senators who signed a letter to President Trump. They requested that he preserve the North American Free Trade Agreement by modernizing it for the 21st-century economy.

March 2018: Thune voted to table a resolution regarding American troops in Yemen

In March 2018, John Thune voted to table a resolution spearheaded by Bernie Sanders, Chris Murphy, and Mike Lee. This resolution aimed to require President Trump to withdraw American troops either in or influencing Yemen within 30 days, unless they were combating Al-Qaeda.

July 2018: Thune commented on the Trump administration's aid for agricultural producers

In July 2018, as the Trump administration advocated for aid to agricultural producers affected by retaliatory tariffs, John Thune described the plan as offering a "false and short-term" sense of security. He also emphasized the significance of fair and free trade for South Dakota's farmers.

October 2018: Thune requested staff briefings about Bloomberg report.

In October 2018, John Thune requested staff briefings about a Bloomberg report concerning the Chinese government's alleged implantation of malicious hardware into server motherboards. He emphasized that the reported tampering with the U.S. hardware supply chain by a foreign power should be taken seriously.

May 2020: Senate Republicans plan to introduce a privacy bill

In May 2020, a group of Senate Republicans, including John Thune, planned to introduce a privacy bill regulating the data collected by COVID-19 contact-tracing apps. This legislation aimed to ensure that businesses are accountable to consumers when using personal data to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to create platforms for tracing the virus while maintaining privacy protections for U.S. citizens.

December 2020: Thune opposed further efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results

In December 2020, John Thune voiced his opposition to any additional attempts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results. He suggested that such efforts would be unsuccessful in the Senate.

2022: Thune's comment on the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

In 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, John Thune stated that the Ukrainian people could not sustain the war without military support from the U.S. and other countries. He also urged European partners to make substantial contributions to aid Ukraine.