This post has been updated.
Former GOP Sen. Larry Pressler is now officially a problem for Republicans in the South Dakota Senate race, and the knives are coming out. Politico reported Friday that Pressler’s primary residence is in Washington, D.C, and Republican operatives were quickly on it.
Larry Pressler has been in DC for the last 2 days… (Cause he lives there) http://t.co/y3EEU2rZHW
#sdsen
— Brad Dayspring (@BDayspring) October 10, 2014
Democratic-aligned groups are coming after Pressler, too. Every Voice Action PAC, which has committed $1 million to the race, announced earlier this week that it would attack Pressler in upcoming ads, too, the Argus Leader reported.
South Dakota started to attract attention this week as polling showed Pressler running close to Republican candidate Mike Rounds, with Democratic nominee Rick Weiland right behind. National Democrats and allied outside groups plan to spend money there over the last month of the campaign, while Republicans are reportedly reluctant but willing to help Rounds win a race that was long thought to be a guaranteed pick-up for the GOP as Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) retired.
Pressler and his wife, who works in Washington, claim the D.C. homestead deduction, which lowers their taxable property value by $70,000, according to Politico.
In an email to Politico, Pressler explained that the couple kept the apartment after he left the Senate in 1997 because of his wife’s job. He also asserted that they have always voted in South Dakota.
“I made a decision after my loss in 1996 to support my wife and her business by helping her keep a residence where she built her business,” he wrote. “My wife has supported me by traveling home to South Dakota to support me with my work as well.”
Image via Facebook.
