John Thune is a Republican U.S. Senator from South Dakota, currently serving as Senate Majority Leader. First elected to the Senate in 2004, he previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2003. He holds positions on several key committees including Finance, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Select Committee on Intelligence. His committee work spans areas including taxation, trade, agriculture, transportation, and telecommunications policy.

Name

John Thune

Party

Republican

State

South Dakota

Committees

Communication, Media, and Broadband, Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation, Health Care Subcommittee

Key Fact 1

John Thune was elected Senate Majority Leader by his Republican colleagues in November 2024, assuming the role in January 2025.

Key Fact 2

He defeated then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004, one of the few instances where a sitting party leader lost reelection.

Key Fact 3

Thune has served on the Senate Finance Committee, where he works on tax policy and international trade issues.

Key Fact 4

He serves on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, addressing issues relevant to South Dakota's agricultural economy.

Key Fact 5

Thune is a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, where he has worked on telecommunications and transportation infrastructure legislation.

Key Fact 6

He previously served as Senate Republican Whip from 2019 to 2024, the second-ranking position in Senate Republican leadership.

Key Fact 7

Before his Senate service, Thune represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House for three terms.

Key Fact 8

He serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, participating in oversight of U.S. intelligence agencies.

Data from Congress.gov