Sen. John Thune endorses Mitt Romney

South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune, who flirted with the idea of running for president earlier this year, announced Wednesday that he will endorse former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president and will co-chair the campaign's National Advisory Council.

"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 in a statement. "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."

Thune will join Romney on the campaign trail in Des Moines, Iowa later today.

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