John Thune
RepublicanU.S. Senator, SD| Age | 65 (b. 1961-01-07) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 1997-01-07 (~29 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White; of Norwegian (paternal grandfather emigrated from Bergen, Norway), English, German, Scottish, and Irish descent |
| Religion | Evangelical Christian (Protestant); no specific denomination publicly confirmed by reputable sources |
| Education | Jones County High School, Murdo, SD (1979); B.A. in Business Administration, Biola University, California (1983); M.B.A., University of South Dakota (1984) |
| Prior occupation | Legislative aide to U.S. Senator James Abdnor (1985-1987); Executive Director, South Dakota Republican Party (1989-1991); Railroad Director of South Dakota (1991-1993); Executive Director, South Dakota Municipal League (1993-1996) |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Pierre, South Dakota |
| Marital status | Married — Kimberley Weems Thune |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
| Notable relatives | Son-in-law Luke J. Lindberg (Republican politician/official, married to daughter Brittany); father Harold Thune was a decorated WWII Navy aviator (Distinguished Flying Cross) |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 1996 |
| Previous offices | U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large district (1997-2003) · Railroad Director of South Dakota (1991-1993) |
| Committees | Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · Committee on Finance · Select Committee on Intelligence |
| Caucuses | Congressional Motorcycle Caucus · Afterschool Caucuses |
| Leadership | Senate Majority Leader (2025-present) · Senate Republican Conference Leader (2025-present) · Senate Minority Whip (2021-2025) · Senate Majority Whip (2019-2021) · Senate Republican Conference Chair (2012-2019) · Senate Republican Policy Committee Chair (2009-2012) · Chief Deputy Whip (2006-2009) |
| Ideology | Consistently conservative; tied for most conservative senator in 2010 National Journal ranking (89.7); 83% lifetime CPAC rating; 71% Heritage Action score (119th Congress) |
| Signature legislation | TRACED Act (2019) - anti-robocall law co-authored with Sen. Ed Markey; passed Senate 97-1, signed into law December 2019 · STREAMLINE Small Cell Deployment Act (5G infrastructure) · Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $229,028–$1,009,999 (2023) · estimate
| Janus Henderson Balanced Fund - T Shares (JABAX) | fund · $50,001–$100,000 · 2023 |
| T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Fund - I Class (TRAIX) | fund · $50,001–$100,000 · 2023 |
| Dodge & Cox Balanced Fund | fund · $50,001–$100,000 · 2023 |
| Congressional Federal Credit Union account | other · $15,001–$50,000 · 2023 |
| Schwab Value Advantage Money Fund | fund · $15,001–$50,000 · 2023 |
| Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) | fund · $0–$100,000 · 2025 |
| Family home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota | real_estate · 2023 |
Top donors: Poet LLC (top donor to 2024 Thune Republican Senate Victory JFC) ($538,100)
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.