Senate Control: Thune's Strategy Faces Final Test

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is trying to hold onto his party's control of the chamber while managing a complicated relationship with the White House.

Thune, 65, took office as leader after the 2024 election. For the past two years, he has worked to pass the president's agenda while keeping the Senate functioning as a separate branch of government.

The current election is the first major test of that approach. Republicans once held a strong advantage on the map. That advantage has eroded due to an unpopular war with Iran that began in February and high gas prices.

Last Friday, Thune visited Sioux City, Iowa, to meet with six local business owners. He joined Rep. Ashley Hinson for a roundtable discussion. The meeting took place less than a day after President Trump held a rally in an airplane hangar in the same town. The atmosphere in the room was considerably quieter than the energy at the rally.

Hinson, who is running for re-election, addressed the common question about balancing loyalty to the president with his declining popularity. She said she would support him when they agree and be a thorn in his side when they do not. Thune, who has managed that tension for nearly two years, listened with little reaction.

Earlier this fall, Thune described the upcoming vote in his Capitol office. He said there are no easy wins and that the conditions for economic growth are in place. He argued that winning will depend on effective messaging, a strong ground game, and the basic work of campaigning.

Colleagues describe Thune as a steady and kind leader. Sen. Mike Rounds called him slow to lose his temper. Sen. Lisa Murkowski called him a really decent man. Even Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has called him a good and decent American.

Under Thune's leadership, the Senate passed the president's tax, border security, and defense bills during six overnight voting sessions. The chamber also passed bipartisan measures on housing, stablecoins, revenge porn, and fentanyl.

The war in Iran has complicated Thune's record. Most Republicans stayed united against Democratic war powers resolutions. Only a few GOP senators broke with the president on the conflict. That voting record now follows them as they campaign.

Thune grew up in Murdo, South Dakota, a town of about 500 people with no stoplights. He played basketball at Biola University and worked for Sen. Jim Abdnor. He served in the Small Business Administration under President Ronald Reagan. He won three House seats starting in 1996, lost a Senate race in 2002 by fewer than 600 votes, and defeated Tom Daschle in 2004 by more than 4,000 votes.

Thune's relationship with President Trump has not always been smooth. In 2016, Thune suggested Trump withdraw from the race. After the Jan. 6 attack, Thune called the president's actions inexcusable. He later aligned with the party behind Trump and vowed to work with him while protecting the Senate's independence.

Tensions surfaced in late June when Trump canceled a housing bill signing to push for the SAVE America Act. Thune had said that bill lacked the necessary votes. Thune also defends the legislative filibuster, which the president wants to remove. That stance has drawn criticism from the right and impatience from the White House. Thune, who says life is supposed to be hard, now waits to see if voters support his method.