Ideology and Voting

DW-NOMINATE Scores

In the 109th Congress which was Senator Thune's first congress he was a part of the Senator received a DW-NOMINATE score of 0.53 which is essentially the middle for the Republican party.  In more recent Congress's we have seen an increase in Senator Thunes' DW-NOMINATE score, meaning his voting has become more conservative.  In the 110th the Senator scored a 0.553 which was a slight increase, then in the 111th the Senator scored a 0.576, then in the 112th we see a score of 0.6 and finally in the 113th the Senator scored a 0.623 which is his most conservative score so far.

There are a few possible explanations for this, first is that when Senator Thune came into office he took over for then Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle so he might have felt more inclined to vote based on that fact and then with more time that he spends in office he is beginning to feel as though he can vote more conservatively.  The other possibility is that South Dakota itself has become more conservative and he strives to emulate that, I mean South Dakota did just elect Senator Mike Rounds making both of South Dakota's Senators from the Republican party which has not happened since prior to Tom Daschle.


Party Unity Scores

Senator Thune has had a most recent Party Unity score of 95.946 which says that he consistently votes in the same way as the party.  His constituency and his party both have similar views on issues making it easier for him to vote with the party.  His lowest score came in the 109th Congress and that was a score of 90.314 versus his highest score that came in the 111th Congress which was 98.464.  This has worked very well for Senator Thune in being selected for the Chair position of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.  The party leaders put him there because they can trust that he keeps in mind what is best for the party.

ADA & Interest Group Scores

According to the ADA, Senator Thune agreed with them on 10% of their votes in 2014.  One of the votes was relatively not controversial versus the other which was slightly more confrontational but Senator Thune voted based on his constituency which held the same view as the ADA.

As for some other Interest groups, probably one of his most loyal interest groups would be the National Right to Life Committee.  The typically always unanimously approve of Senator Thune and his votes that he makes which is really no surprise at all since it is consistently assumed Senator Thune is pro-life even though he has not made it an outspoken decision according to VoteSmart.

As for the support Senator Thune receives from other interest groups, one can draw the conclusion  that his support from interest groups directly correlates to the Republican party values as well as the state of South Dakota's values.


Crossing Party Lines

According to GovTrack Senator Thune was rated 28th highest out of 90 Senators for writing bipartisan legislation with 39% of Senator Thune's 33 pieces of legislation were cosponsored by both Democrats and Republicans.  Senator Thune is also a leader in working with the House of Representatives, 11 of Senator Thunes bills or resolutions had a companion bill in the house which drastically increase the odds of the legislation passing.  Senator Thune is also very good at getting powerful cosponsors on his legislation, 8 of Senator Thune's bills or resolutions had a cosponsor who was either the committee chair or the ranking member of the committee that the legislation was referred to.  This is very helpful in getting your piece of legislation heard since it will most likely get scheduled to be worked on in committee.  Finally, of the 241 bills that Senator Thune cosponsored a total of 39% were pieces of legislation that were introduced by someone other than a Republican.

Takin' care of business working on government tranparency

Committee Assignment

Committees

Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation: Senator Thune serves as the Chairman of this committee.  The importance of this is that first he is in a leadership position on a committee that has always been important nationally but as well as in the state of South Dakota.  The state is heavily involved the the transportation and commerce sectors of the American economy.

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry: Senator Thune serves as a member of this committee which is important because the committee overseas matters relating to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The USDA directly impacts the South Dakota livestock industry as well as the crop industry so it would make sense that Senator Thune is a member of this committee since it directly effects his constituency.  This committee is also deals with matters concerning the Rural Utilities Service and Rural Development which is responsible for rural energy development, rural business financing, and rural health care services, all of which directly impact South Dakota.

Committee on Finance: Senator Thune serves as a member of this committee which is constantly of national importance considering it deals with matters in relation to taxation and other revenue measures generally.  South Dakota has an outstanding health care program and this committee has jurisdiction over healthcare programs under the Social Security Act, including Medicare, Medicaid, or any other health or human services program funded by a specific tax, and last but not least it also has jurisdiction over Social Security.  These are all programs that are not only important to America as a whole but also the rising population of elderly people that reside within South Dakota.  This committee is surely beneficial for Senator Thune because he can help represent his constituency, but also beneficial for the committee to have a member from a state that has such a terrific health care system.  

(Senator Thune connecting his committee work to his constituency wants and needs)

Subcommittees    (Information for this section provided by Project Vote Smart an accredited resource for information regarding members of congress)

Subcommittee on Commodities, Markets, Trade and Risk Management:  Senator Thune serves as a member of this subcommittee whose parent committee is the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.

Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure:  Senator Thune serves as a member of this subcommittee whose parent committee is the Committee on Finance.

Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness:  Senator Thune serves as a member of this subcommittee whose parent committee is the Committee on Finance.

Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy Innovation:  Senator Thune serves as a member of this subcommittee whose parent committee is the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.

Subcommittee on Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security:  Senator Thune serves as a member of this subcommittee whose parent committee is the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.

Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy:  Senator Thune serves as a member of this subcommittee whose parent committee is the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.

Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight:  Senator Thune serves as a member of this subcommittee whose parent committee is the Committee on Finance.

The subcommittees that Senator Thune serves on all have two things in common which are their parent committee is one that Senator Thune already is a member of and they all of a direct affect on Senator Thunes constituency in one way or another.  

Committee/Subcommittee Legislation

S. 834 Sport Fish Restoration and Recreational Boating Safety Act was reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation on March 25th, 2015 and according to govtrack.us there is a 53% chance of the bill being enacted which is substantially high.  An explanation for this particularly high percentage could be that the bill is simply amending a law already in place in a relatively minor way.  Regardless it is a bill introduced by Senator Thune that has a substantial chance of being enacted.

In the 114th Congress so far no bills have been reported by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry but fifteen bills have been referred to the Committee.  The most recent to be referred as of March 26th, 2015 was S. 876 a bill that would amend the Commodity Exchange Act.  Since govtrack.us only gave it a 4% chance of being enacted and a 14% chance of getting passed committee it would appear that the bill, introduced by Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), is destined to die in committee.

S. 339 ObamaCare Repeal Act was reported by the Senate Committee on Finance on February 3rd, 2015 seeks to obviously repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 entirely.  This is an incredibly salient issue because of the impact that passing this Act would have on the health care industry.  Govtrack.us gives it a 46% chance of being enacted, a relatively high percentage till one looks at the issue being addressed in the legislation.  This is an issue that the American public and Congress are both polarized about so it will be interesting to watch this bill continue in the legislative process.  

Electoral Circumstances

Last Election

In the last election (2010) Senator Thune ran unopposed for the first time since direct elections were instituted in South Dakota in 1913.

2016 Election Outlook

When looking at the 2016 primary election it is safe to assume that the republican party would not have any other candidates that they would want to run in place of or against Senator Thune.

General election has the possibility of being a different story.  I am not saying that Senator  Thune is in any kind of hot seat.  On the contrary he is actually in a very safe Senate seat, the only thing worth mentioning is the possibility of him running for a higher office.  There has been talk of Senator Thune being a potential President or Vice President nominee, I for one believe it would be more likely to see him as a Vice President.  The evidence comes from recent news that South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard is to sign the repeal of state's so-called "Daschle Law", which prevents South Dakota politicians who are currently in office and up for reelection to run for any other office then the one they are currently elected to.  The law came about in 2002 when then Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle was being considered for a 2004 Presidential Candidate, which is how the law got its unofficial nickname.  Since the law is looking as though it will be repealed it begs the question of why?  The current consideration is that Senator Thune may be getting his ducks in a row, so to speak, in order to make a push for higher office.

2012 Vote

The state of South Dakota is consistently a "red state" meaning that typically the states three electoral college votes go to the Republican candidate.  This is a commonality seen in presidential elections as well as senatorial elections.

Campaign Finances

According to both Crowdpac as well as Opensecrets, both very reliable fact based information websites, Senator Thune has an astonishing $9.7 million Cash-on-Hand to begin his next campaign.  The fact that he ran unopposed in 2010 was a huge monetary boost, in 2016 he will now be running (given he might be running for a higher office than SD Senator) as a two term senator who two years prior to the election has nearly $10 million to start himself off.  At this time there are no announced challengers to run against Senator Thune in any party.

Major Issues

It is tough to give an exact account of what issues or themes will shape the 2016 election for Senator Thune due to the amount of time between now and November 8th, 2016 but one could surmise that Economy will definitely play some roll in the campaign platform for 2016.  Other possible policy issues or themes could be healthcare, foreign policy, and the Keystone XL pipeline.

Strategy

Press Releases

Senator Thune has a very good balance of national salience and South Dakota salience in his press releases.  On the 19th of February Senator Thune had a press release concerning the gridlock of goods at 29 west coast shipping ports.  This is important for Senator Thune to make a press release regarding this issue for a few reasons.  First he is the Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee so as part of his position it is important that he weigh in on crucial issues like this.  Also he is seen as a champion of American business, especially in the eyes of South Dakota, so it would come at no surprise that he would release a follow up press release on February 21st, concerning the agreement to end the gridlock.  He is quoted in this saying "There's no question the slowdown has cost billions of dollars in unnecessary harm to American businesses and consumers."

When it comes to issues that are salient in South Dakota, Thune is always acting on those making sure South Dakota is well represented in Washington D.C.  On February 20th, Senator Thune along with Senator Rounds and Representative Noem issued a press release in response to a new report from the Obama administrations Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, who advises the USDA and U.S. department of HHS.  The new report leaves lean red meat out of what is considered healthy. Obviously this deals a direct blow to South Dakota livestock industry and could potentially harm the South Dakota economy directly.  Senator Thune makes a great point saying, "From the short-lived Meatless Mondays, to misguided dietary guidelines, farmers and ranchers deserve more of an ally in the USDA, rather than an adversary."  

These press releases are a good example of how Senator Thune balances both nationally salient issues along with locally salient issues.  He provides a well rounded bank of information pertaining to citizens in South Dakota as well as coast-to-coast.  He is taking specific positions on particular issues in order to claim credit for salient issues that make the advertising of himself both play to South Dakotans as well as Americans.  This is a great way to not only keep the goal of reelection in mind for not only his current Senate position but also this could show the goal of moving up in career status, possibly seeking the position of Vice President of President of the U.S.

Legislation

One of the most prominent pieces of legislature that Senator Thune has been a part of recently was S.1 or more commonly known as the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act in which Senator Thune is one of 59 Co-sponsors.  This has been one of the more salient issues over the past few months and this particular bill was actually passed by the Senate 62-36 then it went on to the house where it passed 270-152, and as of the 24th of February the bill sits on the President Obama's desk.  It is believed that he will veto the bill but it is great to see at least some production of Congress happening.  Senator Thune's vote in favor of this bill is a clear sign of position taking, he is obviously taking the position in which the majority of his district holds as well as the majority of his party.  This would imply that he is not only seeking the reelection support from his district, but also seeking the support of his party which is necessary for a position as either the Vice President or the President.

Travel

When discussing the topic of where a Senator should spend their time the American public sometimes seems to forget that we elect members of congress to represent us in Washington D.C.  It is illogical to expect them to be going back and forth constantly on weekends.  With that being said on congressional breaks it would be expected that they visit with constituents and report back.  Well Senator Thune does a tremendous job at that, over this past congressional break (Feb 17th-21st) Senator Thune was busy at work traveling around the great state of South Dakota.  According to his official Twitter account, Senator Thune spoke and reported back to constituents at a town hall in Watertown, South Dakota on the 19th of February.  He also stopped by the Brookings Annual Chamber Meeting to see his communities work in progress.  But who would Senator Thune be if he didn't get some family time in as well.

Caption for the image: "Perfect way to start the day: morning at the shooting range.  My wife, Kim, showing everyone how its done. #Bullseye"

Senator Thune does a great job balancing time and making sure that South Dakotans not only feel like they are well represented in Washington D.C. but also feel like they are represented by someone who they can trust and feel like they can approach.  Senator Thune has developed a very strong homestyle type of campaigning that starts as soon as he wins and never stops.  He has created a reelection constituency so strong that he ran unopposed in 2010, something that has never happened since the installment of direct elections in South Dakota.

Introduction

Biographical Information   Source of Information

Born:   January 7th, 1961

Current Residence:   Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Born in Pierre, SD and raised in Murdo, SD)

Education:    BS, Biola University (1983)
                     MBA, University of South Dakota (1984)

Family:   Wife - Kimberly
                Children - Brittany, Larissa

Religion:   Protestant

Political Party:   Republican

Political Experience:   
-Executive Director, South Dakota Republican Party (1989-1991)
-Representative, United States House of Representatives (1997-2002)
-Candidate, United States Senate (2002)
-Former Republican Assistant Whip, United States House of Representatives
-Senator, United States Senate (2005-present)

Tenure:  In 1996 Thune was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, one of his major campaign promises was that he would only serve three terms as a Representative.  In 2002, honoring his promise, Thune ran for the Senate and narrowly lost the election.  In 2004, Thune ran again and made history by defeating a sitting U.S. Senator party leader for the first time in 52 years.  In 2010, Thune ran unopposed and became the first South Dakotan U.S. Senator to run unopposed since the installment of direct elections in 1913. 

SOUTH DAKOTA

Capital:   Pierre

Nickname:  Mount Rushmore State

Population:   844,877 (as of 2013)

State Bird:   Ring-necked Pheasant

Source for above information

Racial composition of the state according to the 2013 census:

	White alone, percent, 2013 (a)	85.9%
	Black or African American alone, percent, 2013 (a)	1.9%
	American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent, 2013 (a)	8.9%
	Asian alone, percent, 2013 (a)	1.2%
	Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent, 2013 (a)	0.1%
	Two or More Races, percent, 2013	2.1%
	Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2013 (b)	3.4%
	White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2013	83.3%

Source for above chart

Fun Facts:

-Home to Mount Rushmore, sculpted by Gutzon Borglum (and team) and started in 1927 took 14 years to complete at a cost of $1 million.   6,200-foot sculpture features the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

-Belle Fourche South Dakota is the geographical center point of the United States of America.

-Home to Homestake Mine the worlds largest underground mine in Lead South Dakota.

-Mitchell South Dakota is home to the worlds only Corn Palace

-Harney Peak, at 7,242 feet above sea level is the highest point in the United States that is east of the Rocky Mountains.

Source for Fun Facts