WASHINGTON, Jan 8 – The U.S. Senator John Thune announced on Saturday that he plans to run for re-election in 2022, increasing his chances of securing a South Dakota seat in the fall.
Thune, a member of the Senate Republican leadership, reportedly was considering retiring after working in the chamber since 2005.
“South Dakota deserves a strong and effective parliamentarian who can deliver the results they expect,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter. “I am in a special position to get that work done, and I look forward to gaining the support of all the people of South Dakota in the 2022 U.S. Senate elections.
The Senate is currently equally divided, with Republicans and Democrats each ruling 50 seats. Democrats work as a big party as Deputy President Kamala Harris, the Democrat, is able to cast a variety of votes.