Note to SDGOP: better keep looking for that Herseth challenger.

I was continuing my investigation into how some of these Republican Congressional hopefuls are shaping up, and it's looking like Butte County State's Attorney Jim Seward is going to be a no go for the South Dakota Congressional race, despite some encouraging reports I had gotten recently.

It certainly looks like Jim is committed - but it's to his wife and family after spending a tour in Afghanistan. Best of luck to him, and he certainly exhibits the qualities that got him recognized as a GOP contender in that race. (He would have had my vote).

I have not dug up an e-mail for Tim Amdahl yet to find out if he' s serious on the congressional race, so there will likely be more to come on that one. In looking at how he performed in 2002, he came in third in that race with Janklow and Pressler leading him:

Bert Tollefson, Jr. Larry Pressler Tim Amdahl Roger Hunt William J. Janklow
1311 29992 10593 7799 60575
1.19% 27.20% 9.61% 7.07% 54.93%

It's entirely possible that the party may be looking to him as our "go to guy" in that race. As I mentioned before, Tim knows how to campaign and win on a statewide level, having done so in 1986. I haven't heard word one out of the "Tom Bixler" camp and we're moving into Lincoln Day Dinner season - the time when Republican candidates are expected to show their faces around South Dakota. If Tom can't or won't do it, he might as well hang it up right now.

With one candidate rumored to be considering the race, and another one who has announced remaining inactive, we might have to check and see what Bert Tollefson is doing nowadays.

*update for the Bert fans out there* (At least all 1311 of them)

I took this photo of Bert at the GOP National Convention.

If I was going to be the only one to lug a good camera to the event, by God I'm going to milk these pictures for all I can.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Yes, bring Bert back! He'd make that race interesting and give some of us a reason to get excited in 2006.
Anonymous said…
Bert rocks!
Anonymous said…
He'll nail Herseth's hide to the wall! Bert will always have my vote!

Is that (Fall River County States Attorney) Lance Russell talking to Bert at the 2004 GOP National Convention? It's time for Lance to either run for the Pennington County States Attorney position or run for Attorney General in 2010.
Anonymous said…
He'll nail Herseth's hide to the wall!

Is that (Fall River County States Attorney) Lance Russell talking to Bert in the picture at the 2004 GOP National Convention? It's time for Lance to run either for the Pennington County States Attorney position or South Dakota Attorney General in 2010. Even though I live in Sioux Falls, Lance would have my support for either race.
Anonymous said…
What about running either of the other two in the photograph (Lance Russell or Brock Greenfield) for Congress?
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the laugh guys. Greenfield or L. Russell would certainly not pass the low 40s in a race against Herseth but they certainly would advance her political career for making her seem larger than life (a point at which she may get to anyways).
Anonymous said…
Who then does the GOP recruit? Who could do better than low 40s? What are your constructive suggestiongs? What did you predict Rounds' numbers would be when he first announced for Governor? What did you believe that Thune's numbers would be against Hillard? What did you believe that Pressler's numbers would be against the Democrat incumbent in 1972 after Watergate? Let's postively add something to a serious discussion about potential candidates, instead of just being negative. Ideas, anyone?
Anonymous said…
OK, First pick some candidate that has broad appeal. Sorry, the two aforementioned options have boxed themselves in to capture 35% of the electorate that wouldn't have supported emilylist Herseth anyways. Congratulations of getting what was yours for free.

Second,pick someone who will work hard, come accross well in public and not scare the ever living shi* out of others. For all his faults, Rounds does this. Somehow, Thune is able to still do this.

Lastly, be realistic. Rounds got elected due to a confluence of events most of which where completely out of his control but that he at least recognized. Herseth would be tough for the best up and comer and I have yet to see any names on this blog of who that individual would be other than for a race in an unwatched constitutional office or for fall river states attorney.

There are some guys/gals out there, for some reason they dance around the edge and wait for the easy shot. Who wants to fall on their sword for the party in this case? Ron Schmidt is retired.
Anonymous said…
The GOP should take the mainstream coalitions' and the DNC's advice and just declare that there isn't anyone who could do better than low 40s and that the race impossible, all while demonizing the conservatives and lamenting that Senator Thune is "still" able to have broad appeal. PP, the mainstream coalition and the DNC must be monitoring your page. Congratulations, they see the value in the dialog found here.

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