Senator John Thune -- Play Hard to Get ... Trump Will Like You More

Senator John Thune got some sage advice from our photog ... if you want to be Donald Trump's Vice President ... pretend that you don't.

We got the senator from South Dakota at Reagan National Airport Monday, and he took a page from the Paul Ryan playbook ... he's happy with what he's doing now.

There's a buzz he could get tapped by Trump. If so, a real baller could become VP. Check out the Capitol Hill boyz on the court.