U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after he was unanimously re-elected by his Senate Republican colleagues to serve as whip for the 117th Congress, which begins in January 2021. The whip, or assistant majority leader, is the second highest position in Senate Republican leadership. Thune was first elected to serve as Republican whip for the 116th Congress, which included a historic response to the coronavirus pandemic and confirmation of a Supreme Court justice, among many other efforts.
“Working each and every day to represent the people of South Dakota in the U.S. Senate is a privilege that I am infinitely thankful for,” said Thune. “While serving the state is my top priority, I am honored that my Republican colleagues have once again elected me to serve as the whip, a role that will help me continue to advance South Dakota’s priorities and give a strong voice to rural America in Washington. I’m confident Republicans will hold the majority next Congress, where our focus will remain on strengthening our economy, beating the COVID-19 pandemic, and advancing a pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda.”
In addition to serving as the majority whip, a position he’s held since 2019, Thune has previously served as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference (SRC), chief deputy whip, SRC vice chairman, and chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. Thune currently serves on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee; the Finance Committee; and the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.