Sen. John Thune Endorses Gov. Mitt Romney for President – 11/23/11

Romney is gaining momentum. It’s likely to grow as Newt Gingrich is hammered by conservatives for his immigration comments in last night’s debate.

ABC NEWS – The Note: Mitt Romney today will pick up yet another major endorsement of the week when South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune endorses him at a campaign stop in Iowa.

Thune, considered to be a rising GOP star, defeated Senate minority leader and incumbent Sen. Tom Daschle in 2004. Thune’s name was also floated as a vice presidential nominee during Sen. John McCain’s president bid in 2008. And Thune ruled out a presidential run of his own in February, saying in a statement that he had decided to remain in “the trenches” of the Senate.

Romney has received endorsements in the past few days from Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Rep. Charlie Bass, R-N.H.

Of his endorsement of Romney, Thune wrote today, “The next election will be the most important in generations. We can choose to continue on the same path with four more years of President Obama’s failed policies or we can choose a leader who has the needed experience to lead an economic recovery.”

“Mitt Romney has shown throughout his life in the private sector, as leader of the Olympics, as governor, and in this campaign that he will not back down from difficult challenges,” Thune said. “His plans to revitalize the private sector and restore our country’s fiscal health are drawn from his 25-year career as a conservative businessman. Washington could use these commonsense principles at such a critical time.” . . . Read More