A Look Into Senator John Thune's Decades-Long Marriage

Senator John Thune has lived most of his life in South Dakota, where he grew up with a love of politics and would eventually go on to become the state's senator in 2004. His wife Kimberley Thune (née Weems) is also a South Dakotan, and the two met at Biola University in California through a mutual friend. There was an instant connection and Kimberley told the Yankton Daily in 2002, "Here was this tall, handsome young man. It was like, 'Wow,' and sure enough that was John." John and Kimberley married in 1984 and would go on to have their daughters, Brittany and Larissa, together. "He's a family man, and that's the priority in his life. He always thinks of us first," Kimberley gushed.

John isn't the only one with ties to politics. While the Thunes lived in Washington, D.C., Kimberley had a job with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and worked under Senator Larry Pressler. After they moved back to South Dakota, Kimberley worked for then-Governor George S. Mickelson. Her love of politics played a big part in helping her husband with his campaigns, and John makes it well-known how much he appreciates his wife of almost 40 years.

After being together for decades, John and Kimberley Thune still have a rock-solid marriage. In December 2018, he shared a side-by-side photo of their current selves with a snap of their wedding day. "Happy anniversary to my beautiful bride, Kimberley! Thirty-four years ago today we said 'I do,'" he wrote. Proving that couples who match outfits together stay together, Kimberley wore the standard white gown for her wedding, while John looked dashing in an all-white tux.

John and Kimberley seem to have a playful relationship. In another throwback photo, the U.S. senator posted a high-school picture of himself in a basketball uniform and Kimberley in a cheerleading outfit. "My wife Kimberley and I both had our 40-year high school reunions this summer. Flashback to the 70s. Who wore it better?" he asked. In a tweet the next day, John wrote, "The votes are in...Kimberley wore it best, and I agree. Here's 40 years later at my high school reunion, and she's still winning." It looks like the two are still going strong and enjoying each other's company despite a 2004 rumor that there were cracks in their marriage — which they have obviously dispelled.

As reported by Roll Call in 2004, there were whispers that Kimberley Thune had pulled the trigger and filed for divorce from Senator John Thune, even though there was no evidence of it. John's campaign manager at the time, Dick Wadhams stated, "The rumor is totally and completely false. It is untrue. It just shows that there are still a bunch of folks out there who hate John Thune and are believing their own crap."

It's clear that John is devoted to Kimberley. "Couldn't have asked for a better partner in this wild ride. The best mom. The best heart. The best wife. Thank you, Kimberley, for bringing so much love into my life every single day," he shared in a Facebook post on Valentine's Day 2020. The Thunes are not just parents to their two adult daughters, but they also have five grandchildren as well, all of whom John and Kimberley dote on. John shared a pic of the whole clan, along with daughters Brittany and Larissa with their respective husbands and children for this past Thanksgiving. "Grateful for the blessing of family. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours," he wrote.