Senator John Thune of South Dakota is considered an outside veep contender — a “sleeper” candidate, as the Sioux City Journal puts it. One factor against him: His Upper Midwestern home, a conservative bastion, is already in Romney’s column. But in a profile, the Journal notes that Thune, an evangelical Christian, would bring regional appeal to the ticket, potentially helping Romney in Iowa and Wisconsin.

Holding seven electoral votes, Iowa is also a swing state. [Iowa Republican strategist Doug] Gross said Northwest Iowa people are familiar with Thune, so he could help in Iowa, where Barack Obama won in 2008.
“(Thune) has been on TV a lot out of Sioux City and Sioux Falls,” he said. “That is important, for a Republican to get a good base vote out of the northwest part of the state.”
[South Dakota State Sen. Dan] Lederman, an Iowa native, said Thune would play well in Iowa and with conservative Democrats in Wisconsin, another swing state.
“I think he would be a good V.P. pick, he would bring a lot to the ticket,” Lederman said. “The guy has got a moral compass that is better than anybody in the U.S. Senate right now. Plus, he is an effective senator. He has done a lot of good things for South Dakota.”