RCJ Runs down the Western SD Contests

Big article this morning on the races. A snippet from the Rapid City Journal:

State Sen. Stan Adelstein, an outspoken opponent of HB1215, will face state Republican Party vice-chairwoman Ellie Schwiesow, who is equally outspoken in her support of the ban. Adelstein, a longtime Rapid City businessman, will have the money to run a sophisticated campaign, but he narrowly beat Schwiesow in 2004. And this year, the Adelstein-Schwiesow race could attract national attention.

The winner of that District 32 primary will face Democrat Tom Katus and Constitutional Party candidate Daniel Lautenschlager in November.

The District 32 House race has no primaries, but it has a full slate of candidates. Republican Rep. Alan Hanks and Republican Brian Dreyer will face Democrats Suzan Nolan and Pamela Hemmingsen.

The other local primary race that could be affected by HB1215 is in District 35, which includes parts of Rapid City and Rapid Valley.

Republican Rep. Alice McCoy, who can’t run again for the House because of term limits, is challenging Republican Sen. Bill Napoli. Both are supporters of HB1215, but Napoli gained national notoriety for his tough talk about the bill on “NewsHour.”

Democrats also will have a Senate primary in District 35. Leah Lutheran currently serves on the Rapid City School Board, and Theresa Spry has run three times, unsuccessfully, for the state House.

Four Republicans are vying for two nominations for the House in District 35. They are Dale Gunderson, incumbent Jeff Haverly, Lyle Hendrickson and Pennington County Commissioner Mark Kirkeby. The winners will face two Democrats in November, Laurie Woudtke and Susan Kelts.

District 33, which snakes around Rapid City from Rimrock Highway on the west, through Black Hawk to Box Elder, also has Democratic challengers.

Republican Sen. J.P. Duniphan, who voted against HB1215, faces a primary challenge from Dennis Schmidt. The winner will face Democrat Dennis Finch, an attorney who served in the administration of Democratic Gov. Richard Kneip in the 1970s.

On the House side, Democrats Gary Loudner of Black Hawk and Jeff Nelson of Rapid City face Republican incumbents Michael Buckingham and Don Van Etten, both of Rapid City.

In sprawling District 30, which runs from Fall River County to eastern Pennington County, Democrat Catherine Ratliffe of Hot Springs will challenge Sen. Jim Lintz, R-Hermosa.

District 30 Republican Reps. Gordon Howie of Rapid City and Gordon Pederson of Wall will run against the two winners from a three-way Democratic primary among Jerry Bloomer of Hot Springs, Franz Brown of Hot Springs and Rick Hanson of Custer.

Elsewhere in the Black Hills area, Democrats will have fewer candidates or none at all.

In the House race in District 34, in Rapid City, Democrat Courtney Clayborne runs alone against Republican incumbent Ed McLaughlin and Republican David Lust. Republican Sen. Royal “Mac” McCracken is unopposed.

Sen. Kenneth McNenny, R-Sturgis, also is unopposed in District 29 (Meade County), which has a four-way Republican primary for the House among incumbent Larry Rhoden of Union Center, incumbent Thomas Brunner of Nisland, former state lawmaker Maurice LaRue of Sturgis and Ray Hunter of Sturgis. The two winners will serve in Pierre because no Democrats are running.

In District 31, which is Lawrence County, House candidate Dinah Paris of Lead is the lone Democrat. Libertarian Andre Ager of Spearfish also is running for House. On the Republican side will be two incumbents: Tom Hills of Spearfish and Charles Turbiville of Deadwood. Sen. Jerry Apa, R-Lead, will face independent Karen Ballert of Lead in November.

The Article also talks about some of the fallout from HB 1215:

Republican incumbents aren’t the only ones facing post-HB1215 challenges. Sen. Julie Bartling, D-Burke, the Senate sponsor of the abortion ban, faces two Democrats in the primary: John Simpson of Hamill and Sherman Wright of Mission.

Olson Duhamel said the state party did not recruit Bartling’s opponents, though she added, “We’re delighted there’s an interest, and we’re delighted people want to run.”

Olson Duhamel agreed that HB1215 “was a factor” in her party’s success in recruiting candidates this year, but she also credited getting three extra staff positions for the state party, paid for by the Democratic National Committee. “I want to thank Howard Dean,” she said.

Read it all here.