John Thune Campaigns to Save Senate Majority Amid Voter Concerns Over Iran War and Gas Prices

POLICY WIRE — SIOUX CITY, United States — Senate Majority Leader John Thune is traveling across the nation in an intense late-stage campaign push to defend the Republican Senate majority, even as voters express growing frustration over rising fuel costs, inflation, and the ongoing war with Iran.

The South Dakota Republican spent Friday campaigning alongside Rep. Ashley Hinson in northwestern Iowa, a historically conservative stronghold that has unexpectedly turned into a fiercely contested battleground. Hinson is facing Democratic state legislator Josh Turek in a tight race to fill the seat left vacant by retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.

During a joint interview aboard her campaign bus between events in Sioux City, Thune emphasized the critical nature of the contest, stating, I’m absolutely convinced that she flat has to win, and if she doesn’t, we’re not going to be in the majority.

The day’s itinerary included a local chamber of commerce luncheon, a briefing and tour of a KC-135 Stratotanker at the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing, a roundtable discussion with local entrepreneurs, and appearances at a packed high school football game.

Addressing local leaders at the business roundtable, Thune urged supporters to pull out all the stops to secure victory, telling them to “do everything you can to help her get there” and stressing that we’ve got to turn out the vote.

While Turek pitches himself as a pragmatic bipartisan figure who can bridge political divides in Washington, Hinson and Thune are forced to address widespread voter worries regarding economic strain, agricultural costs, and foreign conflict.

Speaking at the local chamber event, Thune sought to reassure attendees about energy costs and overseas warfare, asserting that the conflict is “not going to be a long-term thing” and predicting that there’s going to be a solution there, an answer there soon.

For her part, Hinson has sought to maintain a delicate balance with President Donald Trump, sharing the stage at a Sioux City rally on Oct. 22, 2026, while publicly breaking with the administration over decisions to increase foreign beef imports and purchase diesel fuel from Russia.

Defining her stance toward the White House, Hinson explained that when the president is right, I’m going to be with him, and if he’s wrong about something, I’m going to be in his ear telling him.

Outside one of Hinson’s stops, demonstrators gathered to protest her candidacy, including Democratic resident Valerie Conaway Cote, who accused the candidate of blindly following the administration and argued that Thune “is firmly in Trump’s corner, and he seems to bend the knee.”

Thune’s nationwide tour has also included stops in Nebraska, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Kentucky, Florida, and Minnesota, with upcoming travel planned to Ohio to campaign for Republican Sen. Jon Husted against Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown.

Having succeeded Mitch McConnell as party leader two years ago, Thune has navigated persistent friction with the conservative base over the Senate’s inability to pass the SAVE America Act, a national voter identification measure that lacks the 60 votes required to overcome the chamber’s filibuster rule.

Despite pressure from Trump to eliminate the filibuster threshold, Thune has steadfastly refused, warning that dismantling the rule would leave Republicans helpless to block Democratic legislation whenever power eventually shifts.

With Senate Republicans slated to vote on their leadership during the week following the Nov. 3 election, colleagues like Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno insist Thune retains widespread backing, observing that “the guy’s an extraordinarily nice human being” and adding, at the end of the day, if there’s any Republican losses, it’s going to be about gas prices.

Outlining the party’s priorities if they retain power, Thune highlighted prospective legislative work on artificial intelligence oversight, tax reform, housing affordability, energy permitting, and collegiate athletics regulations, while warning that a Democratic victory would result in two years of paralysis.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)