Senator John Thune Doesn't Plan to Run For President

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, Friday, Feb. 11, 2011.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

According to a post on his Facebook page, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., isn't jumping into the 2012 presidential race.

"There is a battle to be waged over what kind of country we are going to leave our children and grandchildren and that battle is happening now in Washington, not two years from now," Thune said in the statement.  "So at this time, I feel that I am best positioned to fight for America's future here in the trenches of the United States Senate."

The South Dakota senator had been mentioned as a possible candidate to seek the 2012 Republican nomination but Tuesday, Thune said it isn't the right time for him to run.

"There is a battle to be waged over what kind of country we are going to leave our children and grandchildren and that battle is happening now in Washington, not two years from now," Thune continued.

Thune's responsibilities as Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee have kept him busy and he and was recently named to the powerful Senate Finance and Budget committees.

The decision isn't completely unexpected. Thune had done very little to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign, ignoring Iowa and New Hampshire where the first presidential caucuses and primary election take place less than a year from now.

Fox News Correspondent Carl Cameron contributed to this report.