John Thune: The GOP's answer to Obama?

That governmental background could be used against him by more conservative Republican candidates. His votes in favor of Bush-era farm bills might be excused by fiscally conservative groups such as The Club for Growth on the grounds of parochial home state considerations. But one congressional vote sure to be used against Thune would be his 2001 support of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation while he was a member of the House. Thune also was reportedly prepared to oppose the nomination of John Bolton as part of a deal cut to keep Ellsworth Air Force base from closing.
In recent years, however, Thune has gone out of his way to bolster his conservative bona fides. Recently, for example, he offered an amendment to the Defense authorization bill that would allow individuals to carry concealed firearms across state lines if they “have a valid permit or if, under their state of residence, they are entitled to do so.”