Hildebrand goes Obama in '08?
Read it all here. Why? Because it's kind of interesting in a speculative manner on how it might affect South Dakota races that year.After yesterday's post on Barack Obama's visit to Iowa this weekend, another tidbit of information came to The Fix's attention that will certainly fuel even more chatter that the Illinois senator is seriously pondering a 2008 presidential bid.
Obama will be accompanied on the trip by Steve Hildebrand, considered one of the major "gets" for candidates eyeing the 2008 race due to his expertise as a field organizer and campaign manager. In 2000, Hildebrand managed Vice President Al Gore's Iowa caucus victory over New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley. Four years earlier he ran the Midwest for the Clinton-Gore reelection effort.
Hildebrand also has considerable experience in Senate races. In 1986 he was the state finance director for Tom Daschle's first successful run for the Senate. In 1990 Hildebrand was deputy campaign manager for Ted Muenster's (D) unsuccessful bid against South Dakota Sen. Larry Pressler (R).
By 1998 Hildebrand was serving as political director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In 2002 and 2004 he managed Senate races in South Dakota -- winning in 2002 with Tim Johnson and losing in 2004 with Daschle. Hildebrand now runs a political consulting company with fellow Senate operative Paul Tewes.
If Hildebrand goes with the presidential race in 2008, it's questionable whether or not he can devote the time to a competitive Johnson campaign. In 2002, it was a widely held belief that Johnson had the best Senate campaign race in the nation.
In 2008? Without Hildebrand, that distinction might be up in the air. Don't forget he only won by 500 votes - less than the number of votes for the third party candidate.
BTW, The post was also good, because it points to the bios for Hildebrand/Tewes. I hadn't put a face to a couple of the names, such as Chad Schuldt of CCK fame and Theron McChesney over at SD Progressive.
Comments
Please give specific examples.
Yeah, people are really lining up to push Daschle for President---which I suppose is why Hildy is now working for Obama
George Bush's approval rating is well below 50% in SD, so imagine what it will be 2 years down the road when he's a lame duck and doesn't care what people think.
If Johnson keeps doing what he's doing, paying attention to SD and continuing with his moderate voting record he'll be fine.
Just look at Johnson's approval ratings 10 points higher than Thune's. South Dakotans don't regret their choice in 2002, and Johnson would win by a bigger margin today. Keep up the good work Tim!
are they democratic? does not seem to me
Sort of, but probably because it's easier to be the only game in town on that side. They'll follow money and power before they'll follow their consciences.