Report: National Dems Now Pouring Big Money Into South Dakota Senate

U.S. Senate candidate Rick Weiland applauds during the Democratic Convention Friday evening, June 27, 2014 in Yankton, SD. (AP Photo/Dave Eggen)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Bloomberg Politics reported Wednesday that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee plans to spend $1 million on the South Dakota Senate race, as the race starts to draw unexpected attention as polls have shown the presumed GOP frontrunner, former Gov. Mike Rounds, failing to pull away.

It is a huge infusion of money into the race. As TPM reported earlier on Wednesday, the campaign-finance-focused MayDay PAC is also planning to spend $1 million to support Democratic candidate Rick Weiland. Outside groups had spent only $350,000 in South Dakota since Sept. 1.

Recent polling has put the national spotlight on the state, as Rounds has struggled to break away from Weiland and independent candidate, former GOP Sen. Larry Pressler. TPM’s PollTracker average currently has Rounds at 35 percent, Pressler at 29.3 percent and Weiland at 28 percent.

Bloomberg reported that Democrats believe they would keep the seat, being vacated by retiring Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD), with either Weiland or Pressler, who despite his previous party affiliation supported Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Pressler has not said publicly with which party he would caucus.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. I don’t want to count unhatched chickens, but rank and file gun hoarding Republicans are so going to lose their shit if they get beaten in one they thought they had in the bag again.

  2. Turnout is key but money is too (unfortunately)
    If you can spare some, donate.

  3. If they lose this one and Kansas—and possibly Georgia and Kentucky—there will be much gnashing of tooth at the RNC.

    It might even cost Rancid Prepuce his job as head of the Asshole Party.

  4. Only a small uptick in turn-out and there’s no Senate takeover for the GOP. Democrats need to get their butts out and VOTE. In 2014 with social media there is no real excuse to sit this out. None.

  5. I saw on tv early this morning a new poll in which Orman is polling 47-42 ahead of Roberts. I believe his lead will grow.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

12 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for bdtex Avatar for pluckyinky Avatar for nickdanger Avatar for meri Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for mames5 Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for trumpdog Avatar for tetrisd Avatar for marioth Avatar for javaman Avatar for thunderclapnewman

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: