John Thune
Primary Date: TBD
Election Date: November 7, 2028
General Voting Records on key bills
Heritage Action data for John Thune
Session Score: 66%
Lifetime Score: 63%
Average Republican Score: 73%
Not Fake News: Thune’s campaign committees and leadership PAC received approximately $1.58 million from four industries they label the “cheap-labor lobby”:
- Agriculture (~$519,000)
- Construction (~$487,000)
- Hospitality/restaurants (~$403,000)
- Elder care / seniors housing (~$172,000)
These groups note that the same industries employ high shares of foreign-born and unauthorized workers and have backed past legalization/guest-worker measures (e.g., elements of the DIGNITY Act). They explicitly argue this money explains why Thune has not forced a full floor fight or rules change on the SAVE Act despite saying he supports its goals.
The Save Act – his statements
His public statements:
“It’s math.”
Republicans do not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. All Senate Democrats oppose the bill, and there is no realistic path to picking up the required Democratic support.
“There are not the votes to nuke the filibuster… Those are just hard realities, and I think people at some point have to come to grips with that.”
He has noted that even among Republicans, there is insufficient support to change the Senate rules that require 60 votes.
On multiple occasions the bill (or amendments to attach it) failed to reach 50 Republican votes when some colleagues (Collins, Murkowski, McConnell, Tillis) voted NO.
Thune has urged Republicans to “turn our fire on Democrats, not on each other” and has said the party should campaign against Democrats for blocking a measure that polls show is popular with 80–85% of Americans.
He describes himself as a “clear-eyed realist” who supports the SAVE Act’s goals but will not pretend the votes exist when they do not. He has said Republicans have already voted on versions of it multiple times and that further floor time will not change the arithmetic without more Republican seats or a rules change that currently lacks support.
Real Simple Truth Review and Recommendations:
Supports the policies (proof of citizenship, voter ID). Barriers are pure math:
- No 60 votes (Democrats unified against)
- No votes to eliminate the filibuster
- Sometimes short of 50 Republican votes
- Further pressure or floor time will not change the numbers without more seats or a rules change
Proposed Paths vs. Thune’s Concerns
How it works: Simple majority (51 votes including VP) changes Senate rules so bills pass with 51 votes.
Addresses Thune’s math concern?: Yes – removes the 60-vote barrier.
How it works: Keep the bill on the floor indefinitely; force Democrats to hold the floor until they exhaust or concede.
Addresses Thune’s math concern?: Tries to wear down opposition without changing rules.
How it works: Package the bill (or key parts) as having a direct budgetary impact so it needs only 51 votes and cannot be filibustered.
Addresses Thune’s math concern?: Yes – bypasses the 60-vote threshold.
How it works: Force a single up-or-down vote by linking it to funding or defense bills.
Addresses Thune’s math concern?: Creates political pressure but still requires 60 votes or risks killing the host bill.
Practical status: Tried multiple times in 2026; failed when four RINO Republican holdouts joined Democrats.
Thune treats the current vote counts as fixed facts. The alternative paths try to circumvent those exact obstacles. So far, repeated floor failures and parliamentarian rulings have aligned more closely with Thune’s description of the “facts on the ground.”
Contact Him
Here is some ways to contact him and tell him to get the Save Act Passed!
Phone Number DC: (202) 224-2321
Local Number: (605) 348-7551