Letter: Thune sold out to DC

Surprise! Some conservatives believe John Thune is South Dakota's Bob Menendez.

A few years ago, a man named John Thune went to Washington. Over the past few years, I have watched Thune as he has moved away from his conservative prairie values and replaced them with what I am sure he would call pragmatism. I am sure you will see the obligatory conservative vote here and there, but when he had to really put skin in the game for us, he will almost always go with the Beltway Gang. So if I was still in S.D., I may be helping unseat the prince. You may want to consider this, also. [excerpt, LTE, Joe Bingiel]

US Senator John Thune (R-SD) has been considered by some to be a viable vice-president pick yet others scratch their heads at that notion.

You used to see it a lot, before Rapid City native Dan Nelson and his once-thriving network of automobile businesses faltered under an array of alleged misdeeds and eventually a string of criminal charges. Ultimately, Nelson and a business partner ended up in prison on charges conspiring to lie on financial records. It was a big story, with tentacles that reached out in all directions. One of them touched Sen. John Thune, a Nelson friend who happened to sit, during the senator's time between the U.S. House and Senate, on a bank board where Nelson did lots of business. [Kevin Woster]

Besides, not just any job pays $3,300 a day.

"Do I plan on running for President?" Thune said, according to South Dakota's KELO-TV. "I don't. I enjoy the job I have. And being the President is a very, very hard job." "Do I like my job? I do," Thune said. "You know, I'm going to tell you guys something about it. Any job you have, there are going to be good parts about it and bad parts about it. My job's like any other job."

As for Thune signing a letter undermining America's foreign policy?

Larry Pressler is worried about America. "I think we're slipping in the wrong direction," the former U.S. senator said Thursday. Pressler said the conservative South Dakota Legislature should consider implementing a state income tax, allow for gay civil unions and reconsider the new raised speed limit. He said people need to learn how to follow before they can lead. [Mitchell Daily Republic]

Pressler was recruited for the 2014 US Senate race by Republican strategists to run as a liberal siphoning resources and votes from Democrat, Rick Weiland.

South Dakota's senior senator, ethically compromised Republican John Thune, is considered vulnerable to defeat in 2016.

$20 bucks says South Dakota voters won't be seeing John Thune's name in two places on any ballot any time soon.