Thune was born in South Dakota in 1961. He graduated from Biola College in 1983 and got an MBA from The University of South Dakota the following year. Thune held a number of positions in the public office in South Dakota until his successful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. Thune was re-elected twice before an unsuccessful South Dakota Senator bid in 2002. Thune tried again and won a surprising Senate race in 2004 and was re-elected in 2010, where he currently holds office.