South Dakota Senate Race: Will Stephanie Herseth Sandlin Run?

In the 2014 mid-terms, Democrats are aiming to maintain their majority by defending some of the red states that President Obama lost in 2012, including the seat of U.S. Senator Tim Johnson in South Dakota. Senator Johnson announced his retirement last month, and both sides of the aisle are jumping at the chance to claim the newly open seat.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is already working behind the scenes to brush aside Brendan Johnson, son of Senator Tim Johnson, in favor of former U.S. Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.

The DSCC conducted a poll among democrats in South Dakota and found that Herseth Sandlin would be the stronger candidate in a general election against former Governor Republican Mike Rounds.

Rep. Herseth Sandlin represented South Dakota in the U.S. House from 2004 through 2011 before losing re-election to Kristi Noem.

Now here’s where things get interesting. Herseth Sandlin is probably more conservative than half the Republicans currently in the U.S. Senate.  

I mean, even Roll Call reported that Herseth Sandlin, “signaled alarm bells for progressives with her opposition to President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul bill, among other things." Other things including her post-Congressional career as a lobbyist.

The same DSCC that referred to former Congressman Pete Hoesktra as “Mr. Revolving Door” for taking a post-Congress job as a lobbyist has now apparently christened Stephanie Herseth Sandlin — "Mrs. Revolving Door" — their candidate of choice. 

During her tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Herseth Sandlin even proudly declared, "I would vote for George Bush for president," should the presidential election be decided in the House of Representatives. 

Basically, Herseth Sandlin, an anti-Obamacare, anti-gay marriage, pro-gun, lobbyist, is being recruited by the DSCC to run over Brendan Johnson, son of Senator Johnson.

The Republican Party of South Dakota might actually have a hard time finding a more philosophically solid conservative candidate.