Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune announced Saturday that he will seek a fourth term in the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. Thune’s announcement came after reports indicated he was considering retiring.
Thune shared the announcement via Twitter, where he thanked his constituents for electing him repeatedly and asked for their support for his reelection campaign.
— John Thune (@johnthune) January 8, 2022
“South Dakota is the best state in the nation in which to live, work, and raise a family, and I’ve been continually humbled by the support and trust its people have afforded me over the years,” he wrote. “Each time I’ve asked South Dakotans for the opportunity to represent them in Congress, I’ve done so because of a fundamental desire to do whatever I could to make their lives – and our way of life – safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
“Without a prominent primary challenger and nearly than $15 million in his campaign war chest, Thune is unlikely to face serious difficulties in winning re-election. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by a nearly two to one margin in the state,” a report by the Daily Caller noted.
Currently, five Senate Republicans have announced their retirement. They are Sen. Richard Burr (NC), Sen. Pat Toomey (PA), Sen. Rob Portman (OH), Sen. Richard Shelby (AL), and Sen. Roy Blunt (MO).
National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Sen. Rick Scott (FL) praised Thune’s reelection bid, describing him as a “conservative fighter.”
“Having risen through the ranks and into leadership, Senator Thune has given an out-sized voice to South Dakota farmers, ranchers, families, and job creators. He always puts the needs of South Dakotans first, a quality that has always propelled him to victory and will propel him to victory once again this November. South Dakotans are lucky to have a conservative fighter like John Thune working for them in the Senate,” Scott said in a statement.