In 2004, he was defeated for reelection in a remarkable upset. 2004 See also: South Dakota State Senate elections, 2004. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: info[at]crp.org South Dakota Senate 2004 Race. ... the 2004 race… Select a State Districts . This year's South Dakota Senate race was long and nasty and expensive. ET. Full SD. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $859,976. In 1986, he won the first of three terms to the U.S. Senate. Based on Federal Election Commission data available electronically on 03/05/21. Townhall's South Dakota Election 2004 Results, Polls and News for the Senate race Thune was elected to the Senate in 2004, defeating incumbent minority leader Tom Daschle. Summary; Candidates; Contributors; Industries; Sectors; PACs; Geography; Outside Spending; Online Ad Spending; News; Other Data; Search for a Candidate. Former GOP Rep. John Thune has defeated Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle after portraying the incumbent as an obstructionist who was out of touch with South Dakota voters. Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. Townhall's South Dakota Election 2004 Results, Polls and News for Senate, House, Governor and Ballot Initiatives 2004 Election Season : MAIN PAGE: ... Full Senate: 34 at stake, 0 undecided ... 51 needed for majority. Elections for the office of South Dakota State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 1, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. 2004 Election Season : MAIN PAGE: PRESIDENT: SENATE: ... South Dakota Senate. Updated: 5:33 p.m. (CNN) -- Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle -- one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington and a harsh critic of President Bush -- is locked in a tough re-election battle at home in South Dakota. Last year, Daschel contemplated a run for the White House. John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961) is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from South Dakota, a seat he was first elected to in 2004. Instead, he chose to remain the Democratic leader in the Senate and represent the people of his home state. The 2004 South Dakota Senate race was between 2002 candidate John Thune and incumbent Tom Daschle.In the end Thune narrowly defated Daschle by … The top 10 contributors were: The campaign cost nearly $30 million.