John Thune

John Thune
Official portrait, 2021
Senate Majority Leader
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Whip	John Barrasso
Preceded by	Chuck Schumer
United States Senator from South Dakota
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2005 Serving with Mike Rounds
Preceded by	Tom Daschle
Senate positions Leader of the Senate Republican Conference Incumbent Assumed office January 3, 2025 Preceded by Mitch McConnell Senate Minority Whip In office January 20, 2021 – January 3, 2025 Leader Mitch McConnell Preceded by Dick Durbin Succeeded by Dick Durbin Senate Majority Whip In office January 3, 2019 – January 20, 2021 Leader Mitch McConnell Preceded by John Cornyn Succeeded by Dick Durbin Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019 Preceded by Jay Rockefeller Succeeded by Roger Wicker Chair of the Senate Republican Conference In office January 26, 2012 – January 3, 2019 Leader Mitch McConnell Vice Chair Roy Blunt Preceded by Lamar Alexander Succeeded by John Barrasso Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee In office June 17, 2009 – January 26, 2012 Leader Mitch McConnell Preceded by John Ensign Succeeded by John Barrasso
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's at-large district
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Tim Johnson
Succeeded by	Bill Janklow
Personal details
Born	John Randolph Thune (1961-01-07) January 7, 1961 (age 64) Pierre, South Dakota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Kimberley Weems ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	2
Education	Biola University (BA) University of South Dakota (MBA)
Signature
Website	Senate website
Thune's voice Thune on Sen. Ben Sasse's retirement Recorded January 3, 2023

John Randolph Thune (/ˈθuːn/ THOON; born January 7, 1961) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from South Dakota, a seat he has held since 2005. A Republican, Thune has been the Senate majority leader and Senate Republican leader since January 2025. He is in his fourth Senate term and has been the dean of South Dakota's congressional delegation since 2015.

A South Dakota native, Thune is a graduate of Biola University (BA) and the University of South Dakota (MBA). From 1997 to 2003, he served three terms as the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district. He first ran for the U.S. Senate in 2002, narrowly losing to incumbent senator Tim Johnson. In 2004, Thune ran for Senate again and defeated Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, making Daschle the first incumbent Senate leader to lose an election since 1952. During his Senate tenure, Thune has served as the Republican chief deputy whip (2007-2009); chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee (2009-2012); Senate Republican Conference chair, the third-ranking position in the Senate (2012-2019); majority whip (2019-2021); and minority whip (2021-2025).

In 2024, Thune was elected Senate Republican leader, succeeding Mitch McConnell.