S.D. Dems Skip Senate Race Against GOP’s Thune

[jimmy olsen]

  I suppose it makes sense, but you can't win if you don't try. If nothing else, it's always possible he has some kind of huge skeleton in his closet that could come out.

http://www.yankton.net/articles/2010/04/02/news/doc4bb576acd9bc3030872173.txt

S.D. Dems Skip Senate Race Against GOP's Thune

By CHET BROKAW
Associated Press Writer
Published: Thursday, April 1, 2010 11:59 PM CDT
PIERRE — South Dakota Democrats have failed to find a candidate to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. John Thune.

Democratic Party officials had acknowledged earlier they might not find anyone to run against Thune, a popular politician who is seeking a second term in the Senate. The lack of a Democratic candidate became official Thursday when election officials posted the final list of candidates who submitted nominating petitions to run for statewide offices and the Legislature in the June primary.

State Senate Minority Leader Scott Heidepriem of Sioux Falls, the Democratic candidate for governor, said the party decided not to field a candidate in a futile race against Thune.

"We just concluded that John Thune is an extremely popular senator who is going to win another term in the Senate," Heidepriem said.

Heidepriem said opting not to run a challenger isn't much different than what Republicans did two years ago, when the GOP ran candidates without a chance of defeating the Democratic candidates for Senate and House. He said Democrats could benefit by skipping the Senate race.

"It will allow us to divert resources ... to races we can actually win," Heidepriem said.

*
Thune was traveling with his family Thursday and couldn't be reached for an interview, said the senator's campaign manager, Justin Brasell.

However, the campaign issued a statement in which Thune said he is grateful for South Dakotans' support. He also said he'll be traveling to help other senators in their campaigns.

Brasell said Thune has been helping the South Dakota GOP raise money for its get-out-the-vote effort in the November election.

Thune also will help the state's Republican nominees for governor and U.S. House after they are chosen in the June primary, Brasell said.

Thune still could face a challenge from an independent candidate. Those not affiliated with a party have until June 8 to file nominating petitions to get on the November ballot.

[Strix]

I love when a party basically tells its members that unless we can win in your district we don't care about you enough to even make an attempt.

[ulmont]

I love when a party basically tells its members that unless we can win in your district we don't care about you enough to even make an attempt.

Yeah.  Tough to find somebody credible, though, especially in a resign-to-run state (dunno if SD is), and you don't want to just flush money down the toilet.

In 2008 I think there were 56 US House races that were uncontested.

[alfred russel]

Who cares? Lots of safe candidates don't face challengers. If the democrats can't find a decent candidate (and in South Dakota this year I can understand why they couldn't), why run someone unqualified?

[ulmont]

Who cares? Lots of safe candidates don't face challengers. If the democrats can't find a decent candidate (and in South Dakota this year I can understand why they couldn't), why run someone unqualified?

To get the Party name out there, get name recognition for your challenger (who may be more credible), get into the debate events, and to hope for lightning to strike.  Tough to get someone to sign up for a race they're almost certain to lose, though.

[alfred russel]

Who cares? Lots of safe candidates don't face challengers. If the democrats can't find a decent candidate (and in South Dakota this year I can understand why they couldn't), why run someone unqualified?

To get the Party name out there, get name recognition for your challenger (who may be more credible), get into the debate events, and to hope for lightning to strike.  Tough to get someone to sign up for a race they're almost certain to lose, though.

I can see why you want a candidate, but good senate candidates don't grow on trees and South Dakota isn't a big state. If you can't recruit a good candidate, are you that much better off putting a yahoo in the senate if it comes out that Thune is a crack dealer right before the election? From the democratic perspective, crack dealing thune may be a better alternative.

[Eddie Teach]

They couldn't find some lawyer or businessman who likes the idea of seeing his name in the headlines? That is unusual.

[Fate]

They couldn't find some lawyer or businessman who likes the idea of seeing his name in the headlines? That is unusual.

Any self respecting businessman or lawyer has long since moved out of South Dakota.

[Eddie Teach]

They couldn't find some lawyer or businessman who likes the idea of seeing his name in the headlines? That is unusual.

Any self respecting businessman or lawyer has long since moved out of South Dakota.

Who said anything about self-respecting? If anything, the vanity involved in conducting a hopeless political campaign suggests the opposite.

[Razgovory]

They couldn't find some lawyer or businessman who likes the idea of seeing his name in the headlines? That is unusual.

Running a political campaign is a lot of work.  It's really draining.

[Josquius]

How odd.
Surely they have some young up and comer who they want to give some practical experience which he can then use when he makes a serious go at getting a place in government a few years down the line?
Thats the way things are done in the UK anyway.
Hey, I'd be willing to run for them, where should I email?

[Razgovory]

How odd.
Surely they have some young up and comer who they want to give some practical experience which he can then use when he makes a serious go at getting a place in government a few years down the line?
Thats the way things are done in the UK anyway.
Hey, I'd be willing to run for them, where should I email?

Costs more money in the US.  And if you lose one race in the US it's hard to get people to give you money for a next one.