Romney to Fundrai$e for Thune

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Get out the long lenses in South Dakota: Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) is making one of his first high-profile fundraising stops of the 2010 midterm cycle later this month for none other than Sen. John Thune (R-SD), chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.

Romney will join Thune for a fundraiser to benefit the senator's re-election bid at the Holiday Inn City Centre in Sioux Falls, SD, on Feb. 19, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by National Journal. The suggested contribution is just $100.

Romney and Thune met several years ago in the Capitol and have seen each other at a couple of social functions since then, but they have never made a joint appearance. Sioux Falls and Sioux City, Iowa, a conservative bastion in the first-in-the-nation pres. caucus state, share a media market, so photos of the once and likely future pres. hopeful and a possible rival -- or ticket-mate -- will hit voters in the caucus state.

"This has 2012 written all over it. Two high-profile Republicans in the same place -- one who has already run for president and one who is being encouraged to do so -- to have them together makes for quite a photo-op," said one veteran GOP strategist.

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