The Hill News

Republican primary voters can't "minimize" the importance of social issues in deciding their candidate for president, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said Thursday.

Thune, who is currently considering running for president, and has said he'll make a decision by the end of this month. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has openly encouraged the South Dakota Republican to run, though it's thought that Thune may be interested in pursuing a loftier spot in the Senate GOP leadership instead.

"I think there are issues that people feel deeply about, and they’re profound issues … And I don’t think we can minimize those in the debate," Thune said Thursday in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network's "Brody File."

"For any conservative or any Republican to get elected to office, you have to have the support and hopefully the energetic support of people who care passionately about the social issues," he added. So, they’re important. And we shouldn’t trivialize that"

The role of social issues in the 2012 campaign -- and the debate over whether they should even play a role -- has been a source of occasionally sharp debate already among possible Republican presidential candidates.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) drew rebukes from several other potential competitors for calling for a "truce" in Republican primaries over social issues. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R), meanwhile, warned primary voters against ideological "purity," especially at a time when incumbent, establishment Republicans have faced an increased risk of primary challenges to their right. 

Thune has a particularly religious background, having studied at Biola University ("Bible Institute of Los Angeles"), an evangelical Christian school, for college. He told CBN that he doesn't apologize for his faith, and wouldn't "shrink away" from public service because of it.

It's not clear which candidates in the GOP field might make an outright appeal to social conservatives, and which might look to moderate their rhetoric. Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) was particularly critical of Daniels's "truce," but he's regarded a second-tier candidate, and Thune could fill any void left in the field.

If he does ge! t in -- and the clock is ticking toward the end of February --! Thune < a target="_blank" mce_href="http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2011/02/17/thune-to-brody-file-on-passion-to-run-for-president.aspx" href="http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2011/02/17/thune-to-brody-file-on-passion-to-run-for-president.aspx">promised not to be short on the fire in the belly needed to sustain a campaign for the presidency.

"Believe me, if I decide to move forward, I will have the passion," he said. "So, if I focus on this, we will be all in.  But the question that I have to come to grips with right now is can I get to that point where I’m all in?  You have to be 100% there."