WASHINGTON >> John Thune won election to the Senate in 2004 by conquering Sen. Tom Daschle, the powerful Democratic leader, only to quickly face a mortal threat to his political future when a major Air Force base in his state was threatened with closure.

He beat back the effort and saved Ellsworth Air Force Base, a financial engine in his largely rural state, keeping his job and learning valuable lessons that have helped power his rise in the Senate.

Now Thune, R-S.D., has ascended to the top and on Friday became the Senate majority leader in the new Congress. Again he is facing an early challenge and a major threat to his political standing.

Thune’s task this time is to juggle President-elect Donald Trump’s demands, the competing desires of 53 GOP senators and a formidable legislative agenda. It starts with shepherding multiple baggage-laden Trump nominees to confirmation in the closely divided Senate, where he can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if Democrats hold together in opposition.

At the same time, he intends to use a tricky maneuver to steer around a filibuster and pass a combination border security, military spending and energy production bill that will require serious legislative finesse. And he wants to do it in the first month or so, while also reordering how and how often the Senate works.

“Let’s just say he’s got a lot of interests to balance to cement his credibility,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican from bordering North Dakota who endorsed Thune for leader, noting that his colleague had never lied to him.

Those in Thune’s orbit say a stinging defeat in a 2002 Senate bid, the momentous campaign against Daschle two years later and then the battle to save Ellsworth toughened and educated Thune about political realities.

McConnell’s blessing

Thune seriously considered but dropped the idea of running for president in 2012, and then contemplated retiring from the Senate in 2022. But at the urging of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the outgoing party leader, and the lure of a future vacancy when McConnell stepped aside, Thune decided to stick around, saying he was willing to continue doing the work “even when it was hard, uncomfortable or unpopular.”

Despite his decision to remain, he was no lock to replace McConnell after his 18-year run as leader, and faced a tough challenge from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Cornyn, like Thune, served as McConnell’s No. 2 for a stretch and was considered to have sharper political skills.

Trump factor

The person Thune might find hardest to please is Trump, who was agitated by Thune’s past criticism of his conduct and incensed that the Senate’s No. 2 Republican did not back his challenge to the 2020 election outcome and voted to certify the results. (Thune himself chose not to contest his 2002 Senate loss by just over 500 votes, saying it would be divisive for the state.)

Trump pushed — unsuccessfully — for a primary challenge to Thune in 2022 and branded him a RINO, the “Republican in name only” slur that is the gravest of insults in MAGA world. Thune, in turn, endorsed Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina in the Republican presidential primary, although he got on board with Trump after he secured the nomination.

He has since taken steps to repair relations with Trump, including making a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago, the president-elect’s estate and private resort in Florida. The pair seem to have settled into a working relationship after Trump stayed out of the leadership race despite a push by some of his advisers to try to block Thune. Plus, Trump has come to recognize Thune’s advantages, Cramer said.

Going forward

Thune has made significant promises about how the Senate will conduct itself on his watch, pledging that senators will work a full week in contrast to recent years spent working Monday evenings through Thursday afternoon. He said he also intended to bring more bills to the floor and allow amendment fights when recent leaders of both parties have sought to limit political exposure by limiting the number of votes senators have to take.

He said Friday that he would resist any effort to eliminate the Senate’s signature filibuster rule that allows the minority to thwart legislation.

“Unfortunately today there are a lot of people out there who would like to see the Senate turn into a copy of the House,” Thune said in his first remarks in his new role. “One of my priorities as leader will be to ensure that the Senate stays the Senate. That means preserving the legislative filibuster, the Senate rule that today perhaps has the greatest impact on preserving the founders’ vision of the United States Senate.”

He said he would restore the Senate “as a place of discussion and deliberations,” by empowering committees, adhering to normal legislative order and “engaging in extended debate on the Senate floor, where all members should have a chance to make their voices and voices of their constituents heard.”