Herseth Sandlin ready for ‘tough campaign’
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., said while she anticipates a competitive race for the state’s sole U.S. House seat, she hopes the race remains civil.
Herseth Sandlin, during her weekly telephone conference with South Dakota reporters, said she hopes the campaign doesn’t take a negative turn. Her response came after she was asked if her husband’s work in Washington would become an issue. Max Sandlin is a former Texas congressman who works as a D.C. lobbyist.
Herseth Sandlin said she doesn’t want her family to be pulled into the campaign or her husband attacked. But she sounded resigned to the idea.
“It looks to a certain degree that’s already happened,” Herseth Sandlin said.
The Democratic congresswoman is running against state Rep. Kristi Noem, of Castlewood. During her acceptance speech June 8 after winning the Republican primary, Noem was sharply critical of Herseth Sandlin using her office for “personal and political gain” — a charge that Herseth adamantly denied.
Since that time, Noem hasn’t repeated the charge and has declined to discuss the issue. But Terri Jorgenson, her campaign spokeswoman, South Dakota Republican Party Executive Director Lucas Lentsch and Tom Erickson, the regional press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, have jumped into the fray.
On Thursday, Lentsch and Erickson assailed Herseth Sandlin for failing to vote to overturn the health-care reform bill that President Obama signed into law earlier this year.
While Herseth Sandlin voted against the bill, she didn’t vote to overturn it, and the Republicans argue she has changed her position to reach out to Democratic voters in the state.
“We think it was for political salvation,” Lentsch said.
He said Herseth Sandlin’s campaign is “on the ropes” and touted a Rasmussen Reports phone survey that gave Noem a 53-41 lead. Democrats have said they don’t trust the accuracy of Rasmussen’s numbers.
Herseth Sandlin touched on the campaign during her press call last week as well and challenged Republicans to make specific charges of official misconduct. “I have a strong record of service to South Dakota,” Herseth Sandlin said. “If there are specific charges, they need to make them.”
On Thursday, she repeatedly stressed she is a “centrist” who is in step with most voters in the state.
“I have a record that is strong for the state,” the congresswoman said. “I have a record that is bipartisan and independent.”
She said she has been “very responsive” to her constituents.
She declined to say if she will appear at an Aug. 28 debate at the Corn Palace sponsored by The Daily Republic.
“I’m sure there will be debates this year as well. I’m sure our campaigns will work this out,” Herseth Sandlin said.
“I look forward to debates. We’ll debate. I’ve done it in the past and I’ll do it again, and I look forward to it.
When she does, Herseth Sandlin said she will stand on a “strong record” on biofuels in agriculture, work on veterans, tribal issues and other issues.
She said while it’s clear there’s grumbling in the country about politicians, she feels the anger isn’t directed at her or other moderates.
“I think what people are angry about is the partisanship in Washington,” Herseth Sandlin said. “I stand up to leadership in both parties. The same thing with the White House. I stand up for South Dakota.
“I feel good about my record. Most South Dakotans consider themselves centrists,” she continued. “The centrists are focused on policy solutions. I think there is still a place for centrists in Washington.”
Herseth Sandlin rejected the idea that she “has gone Washington” and said the said rhetoric was used against her in past elections.
“That’s not what I hear when I’m home,” she said. “I’m a South Dakotan and there’s no question about that.”
Herseth Sandlin said she is ready to stand on her past votes and actions during this campaign. “I’m proud of my record for South Dakota,” she said. “I’m going to prepare for another tough election.”
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