The Thune War Chest

The Washington Post is highlighting a key Thune advantage in an article today. T.W. Farnam points out the 7.2 million dollars Sen. Thune has leftover from 2010.

Since he was unopposed in the last election, the Senator didn't have to spend as much money running ads and campaigning, leaving him with funds that could be a huge asset going into 2012.

Thune to Visit T-Paw's "Stomping Grounds"

Talking Points Memo is reporting Sen. Thune plans to headline the Minnesota GOP's Lincoln-Reagan dinner in February. 

Minnesota also happens to be the home state of Gov. Tim Pawlenty (T-Paw) who is almost certainly running in 2012 and has made significant inroads in the primary state of Iowa.

Thune's Budget Policy

Below is the link for information on Sen. Thune's recent budget and debt reduction plan. Control of federal deficits and budgeting will certainly be a big issue in the next presidential campaign, and this plan certainly gives insight to what a candidate Thune's fiscal policy would look like.

http://johnthune.com/budget-bill/ 

Also, there will probably be relatively light blogging as the year wraps up, due to slow news cycles and the congressional recess. However, as new information becomes available it will be posted as quickly as possible.

The Dark Horse Candidate

Presidential speechwriter-turned-political pundit David Frum writes on his blog today of the possibility of Sen. Thune being the "darkest horse" in the GOP 2012 field. He cites the GOP's history of nominating nationally known candidates in Presidential election, but the ability of a Romney or Palin candidacy to fall short in the next presidential cycle. You can read Frum's post here.

Christmas Gift to the Russians

"Trying to force it through without ample time for debate and amendments would amount to a Christmas gift to the Russians" -John Thune on the START treaty

In addition to the Bush tax cut extension and the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the lame-duck congress is trying to push through a new arms control treaty with the Russia. Below is Sen. Thune's Senate floor speech voicing his opposition. Additionally, you can read the op-ed he wrote for the National Review here, as it is mentioned in his speech.

Thune Accuses Democrats of Ignoring 2010 Election

Today Sen. Thune told The Daily Republic in a phone interview that the Democrats are "contradict(ing) the wishes of the American people" by staying so busy in the final days of the legislative session. The Democrats seem to be rushing through legislation because in the next Congress they will face a House Republican majority and a depleted number of Democrats in the Senate.

A Dozen Questions for John

Lisa De Pasquale from the conservative media source Human Events recently caught up with Sen. Thune and asked him 12 pop-culture questions as part of her De Pasquale's Dozen series.

In it, the Senator discusses his favorite TV shows, Christmas movie, and other items worthy of notation.

Thune's Energy Stance Could Help in Iowa

Real Clear Politics is out with a story highlighting the factor energy prices could play in the Iowa presidential primary. If prices go up, the debate on the role of ethanol and other sources of alternative energy will be elevated. 

In addition to being neighbors, Thune's home state of South Dakota and Iowa both have substantial markets for ethanol producers. Since Senator Thune has long been a champion for tax credits that support these markets, a rise in prices could play to his advantage leading into the 2012 campaign.

Healthcare for 9/11 First Responders

Sen. Thune recently discussed health care for the 9/11 first responders on Fox Business's Imus in the Morning.

Thune Slams Romney, Palin over Tax Deal

Although he didn't call them out by name, this week Sen. Thune rebuked opponents to the current tax deal, including 2012 contenders such as  Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin. Referring to these critics, he said "it's easy to stand on the sidelines ... and perhaps it is politically expedient" (to criticize the bill).

Here's the video from Sen. Thune's speech.

Presidential Prospects

Fox News is reporting John Thune will be a guest on a New Hampshire radio station tomorrow, marking his first appearance in that state's political scene. New Hampshire hosts an early Republican Presidential primary and winning this state is critical for the momentum of a candidate.

Also, Thune will be a speaker at CPAC, a national conservative gathering next February. Traditionally, this platform is used to gain national name recognition and bolster conservative support - possibly before running for President.

These two events serve as indicators that Thune either seriously considering or is already planning on running for President. You can read the article "Thune Looking More and More Like a Presidential Hopeful" here.

Meet John Thune

For those of you who aren't acquainted with Sen. Thune, here's a recent "12 in 2012" interview from Fox News.

Thune Rejects Huge Spending Bill

Today Sen. Thune blasted Senate Dems for trying to pass a spending bill during the final days of the lame-duck Congress. Thune said:

"The attempt by Democrat leadership to rush through a nearly 2,000 page spending bill ...  ignores the clear will expressed by the voters this past election." 

You can read the news story here.

"Inaction is not an option" says Thune

Kasie Hunt from Politico is reporting Sen. Thune openly criticized opponents of the tax compromise today.

In a Senate floor speech, he said “Inaction is not an option, and advocating against this proposal is no different than advocating for higher taxes."

By taking this position he is clearly distinguishing himself from other 2012 contenders including Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin. Through this proposal he is proving himself to be a conservative who isn't afraid to be pragmatic in order to cut taxes.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46382.html#ixzz187u6zSPS

Predicting a Thune and Pawlenty Iowa Battle

Politico has a story outlining the competition John Thune and Tim Pawlenty would have over Iowa in 2012. Both are from neighboring states, but Pawlenty has made significant Iowan inroads over the last year while Thune hasn't been as aggressive. However, as the story notes, Thune already has "built-in name recognition" and a likely advantage over other 2012 candidates, including Gov. Pawlenty.

You can read the story here.

Thune Talks Taxes

This week Sen. Thune sat down with Sean Hannity to discuss the compromise that including extending the Bush tax cuts for all Americans. He also addresses his rationale for determining whether he'll be running in 2012.

Markets Betting on Thune

Politico is out with a piece highlighting Sen. Thune's popularity among political exchanges - he is registering third behind Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin. This shows that people "in the know" are looking at the big picture and thinking Sen. Thune could be a powerhouse in 2012.

Here's the story:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45697_Page2.html

Welcome

Welcome to John Thune 2012, a blog dedicated to following the latest news and events surrounding the prospect of Sen. Thune running in 2012.