Former Sen. James Abdnor (R-SD) died this morning in Sioux Falls, S.D. He was 89.
Abdnor’s career in the Senate began in 1980 when he defeated former Democratic presidential nominee Sen. George McGovern. Abdnor lost his re-election bid in 1986 to another well-known Democrat from the Mount Rushmore State, former Majority Leader Tom Daschle.