Herseth Sandlin draws another GOP challenger
| Republicans are growing more bullish about their prospects of ousting Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.), one of the most battle-tested Blue Dog Democrats, who looks to be facing her first serious challenge since 2004.State Rep. Kristi Noem, an assistant majority leader in the state House, announced her candidacy today, becoming the third Republican to enter the field against Herseth Sandlin. National Republicans are enthusiastic about her background as a young small-business owner and believe she’s a strong contender for the nomination.
“My experiences as a wife, mother, farmer, rancher, small-business owner and South Dakotan have taught me foundational truths that will ensure I will remain steadfast in my resolve to do the people’s will,” Noem said in a statement. Herseth Sandlin is already facing two politically experienced Republicans, Secretary of State Chris Nelson and state Rep. Blake Curd. The National Republican Congressional Committee has already identified Curd as a leading recruit, naming him to its “Young Guns” list of promising candidates after he raised $180,000 in his most recent fundraising quarter. The prospect of running a 38-year-old female with a background in business — who owned and operated a hunting lodge and worked on her family farm — against Herseth Sandlin is an enticing one to several South Dakota Republican operatives. “If I’m Herseth, this is the opponent I’d fear the most. She’ll have the best ability to raise money and has a great résumé as a small-business owner. On paper, she brings the same appeal as Herseth, but she votes like a conservative in a Republican state,” said one senior GOP operative with experience in South Dakota races. A recent Public Policy Polling survey suggests Herseth Sandlin could be in for a tough reelection. The poll, conducted in December, showed the congresswoman leading Nelson by only 7 points, 46 to 39 percent — under the 50 percent mark considered safe territory for an incumbent. She held a bigger lead against the lesser-known Curd at the time. Herseth Sandlin broke with most of her Democratic colleagues in opposing the health care and cap-and-trade energy legislation — a sign she’s cognizant that her party’s domestic agenda isn’t being received favorably back in South Dakota. |