What can we say about the races coming this year?

I did a little analysis of the politicl race lineup so far this year. Granted, it may change and there may be a few more candidates coming out of the woodwork. But for all the Democrats bluster, there are still quite a few gaps to be filled. Check out the Senate races filed so far:


District Chamber Party Name
1 Senate Democratic Hanson, Gary D.
2 Senate Democratic Hundstad, Jim
3 Senate Republican Latterell, Isaac
3 Senate Republican Sutton, Duane Ormun
4 Senate Democratic Peterson, Jim
4 Senate Republican Diedrich, Larry
5 Senate Democratic Turbak, Nancy J.
5 Senate Republican Arnold, Dennis
5 Senate Republican Konold, Claire B.
6 Senate Republican Greenfield, Brock L.
6 Senate Republican Holbeck, James
7 Senate Democratic Widvey, Harold
7 Senate Republican Smidt, Orville B.
8 Senate Democratic Sutton, Dan
8 Senate Republican Toates, John
9 Senate Democratic Spader, Duane
9 Senate Republican Dempster, Tom
10 Senate Republican Abdallah, Gene G.
10 Senate Republican Alvine, Frank
11 Senate Constitution Bartlett, D. Scott
11 Senate Republican Gant, Jason M.
12 Senate Republican Earley, William F.
13 Senate Republican Kelly, Dick
14 Senate Constitution Scott, William L.
14 Senate Republican Knudson, Dave
15 Senate Democratic Koetzle, Gil
16 Senate Republican Albers, Kenneth D.
17 Senate Democratic Nesselhuf, Ben
17 Senate Republican Adams, Nathan J.
18 Senate Republican Hunhoff, Jean
19 Senate Democratic Kloucek, Frank J.
20 Senate Republican Olson, Ed
21 Senate Republican Garnos, Cooper
22 Senate Republican Hansen, Tom
23 Senate Republican Duenwald, Jay L.
24 Senate Republican Gray, Bob
25 Senate Republican Kooistra, Clarence
26 Senate Democratic Simpson, John J.
26 Senate Republican Koskan, John
27 Senate Democratic Two Bulls, Theresa (Huck)
27 Senate Republican Hanrahan, Craig L.
28 Senate Democratic Emery, Steve
28 Senate Democratic Maher, Ryan
28 Senate Republican Klaudt, Ted A.
28 Senate Republican Wetz, Kenneth
29 Senate Republican McNenny, Kenneth
30 Senate Democratic Ratliff, Catherine
30 Senate Republican Lintz, Jim
31 Senate Independent Ballert, Karen
31 Senate Republican Apa, Jerry
32 Senate Republican Adelstein, Stanford M.
32 Senate Republican Schwiesow, Elli
33 Senate Democratic Finch, Dennis
33 Senate Republican Duniphan, J.P.
33 Senate Republican Schmidt, Dennis
34 Senate Republican McCracken, Royal "Mac"
35 Senate Republican McCoy, Alice L
35 Senate Republican Napoli, William "Bill"

By my count, I'm seeing 4 Senate races that the GOP has yet to field a candidate for. As of tonight, it's 31 out of 35 - and that isn't bad! I suspect one or two of those will be filled by next Tuesday. But compare that to the SDDP's efforts.

As of tonight, they've got 15 of 35 candidate slots filled for the Senate. Sure, we'll likely see another 5 or so come in - but if it isn't any more than that, it leaves a devastating gap in their Senate efforts.

The surest way to lose an election is to not run. And if they're not going to field candidates in 12-15 races, they can expect to remain in the minority. And it gets even worse for the House:

District Chamber Party Name
1 House Democratic Halverson, Clayton
1 House Democratic Sigdestad, David
2 House Democratic Dennert, H. Paul
2 House Democratic Elliott, Burt
2 House Democratic Graham, John
3 House Democratic Black, Thomas E.
3 House Republican Novstrup, Al
3 House Republican Novstrup, David
4 House Democratic Street, Steve
4 House Republican Nosbush, Mary E.
4 House Republican Rausch, Val
5 House Democratic Mittelstedt, Rich
5 House Republican Faehn, Bob
5 House Republican Koistinen, Al
6 House Republican Nelson, Paul
6 House Republican Noem, Kristi
6 House Republican Stormo, Samantha
7 House Republican Pitts, Carol A.
7 House Republican Tidemann, Larry J.
8 House Democratic Gassman, David B.
8 House Democratic Lange, Gerald F.
8 House Republican Olson, Russell
9 House Democratic Engels, Richard A.
9 House Democratic Roberts, Elaine A.
9 House Republican Dressen, Katy
9 House Republican Peters, Deb
10 House Republican Hunt, Roger
11 House Republican Weems, Keri K.
11 House Republican Willadsen, Mark K
12 House Democratic Kniffen, Gregory
12 House Libertarian Anderson, John I.
12 House Republican Henkin, Ann
12 House Republican Steele, Manny
13 House Democratic Blake, Susan
13 House Democratic Thompson, Bill
13 House Republican Heineman, Phyllis M.
14 House Democratic Feinstein, Marc
14 House Republican Cutler, Joni
14 House Republican Tornow, R. Shawn
15 House Democratic Glenski, Mary
15 House Democratic Miles, Kathleen
15 House Republican Allis, Gregory P.
16 House Republican Dykstra, Joel D.
16 House Republican Lederman, Daniel
17 House Democratic Norin, Patricia A.
17 House Democratic Nygaard, Eldon E.
17 House Republican Boomgarden, Jamie M.
17 House Republican Schafer, Donna
18 House Democratic Gleich, Robert J.
18 House Democratic Moore, Garry A.
18 House Republican Gilson, Charlotte "Charlii"
19 House Libertarian Martin, Alexander
19 House Republican Jerke, Gary
20 House Democratic Steele, Susan N.
20 House Republican Carson, Lance A.
20 House Republican Vehle, Mike
21 House Democratic Kastner, Diane L.
21 House Republican Deadrick, Thomas J.
21 House Republican Juhnke, Kent
22 House Democratic Burg, Quinten L.
22 House Democratic Hargens, Dale
22 House Republican Haeder, Joshua R
23 House Republican Davis, Justin J.
23 House Republican Hackl, Tom
24 House Republican Olson, Ryan P.
24 House Republican Rounds, Tim G.
25 House Democratic Kroger, Mike
25 House Republican Ammon, Greg
25 House Republican Rave, Tim
26A House Democratic Lucas, Larry J.
26B House Democratic Glover, Thomas J.
27 House Democratic Bradford, Jim
27 House Republican DeVries, Mark
28A House Democratic Van Norman, Thomas J.
28A House Republican Hunt, Everett
28B House Republican Drown, Bob
28B House Republican Olson, Betty
29 House Republican Brunner, Thomas J.
29 House Republican Hunter, Ray
29 House Republican LaRue, Maurice
29 House Republican Rhoden, Larry
30 House Democratic Bloomer, Jerry
30 House Democratic Brown, Franz K
30 House Democratic Hanson, Rick
30 House Republican Howie, Gordon
30 House Republican Pederson, Gordon
31 House Democratic Paris, Dinah
31 House Republican Hills, Tom
31 House Republican Turbiville, Charles M.
32 House Democratic Hemmingsen, Pamela K
33 House Republican Buckingham, Michael
33 House Republican Van Etten, Don
34 House Republican Lust, David
34 House Republican McLaughlin, Ed
35 House Democratic Wudtke, Laurie
35 House Republican Gunderson, Dale E.
35 House Republican Haverly, Jeffrey
35 House Republican Hendrickson, Lyle
35 House Republican Kirkeby, Mark

As of tonight, Dems have 36 seats conested of 70 total. The GOP is missing a few here and there, and I expect many of those to come in, likely excepting districts 1,2 & 15. Again, if you are only putting up candidates for half of the races, don't expect to take control of a chamber.

As mentioned before, there are still a great number of legislative seats left to fill, and we can expect quite a few petitions to come in over the cource of the next week. But unless numbers move significantly, don't expect a turnover in Legislative control this next fall.

If this trend continues, the chess pieces may change shape, but come next January, expect that the GOP will be fully in control of the board.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This is a plea for help in Yankton County (District 18). I am out of the area and have had little opportunity to recruit a candidate, but the Republicans need to run someone for the State House. Bob Gleich should not be in the state legislature. Any time anyone with a pulse has been put up against him, the people have made the right choice, but I am afraid they will not have that opportunity this time. Please help us find someone.
Anonymous said…
what does the grand ole party even believe in pp??
Anonymous said…
the GOP stands for Greed over People....
Anonymous said…
PP -

Any commentary on the circuit judge races? There are 2 in the 2nd, 1 in the 3rd, 1 in the 4th, 1 in the 5th, and 2 in the 6th. That means 5 out of 7 circuits will be voting on judges while also voting on JAIL.
Anonymous said…
PP

I am not expecting that we Democrats will take control of the legislature--yet. It will take a cycle or two or three even. However, I think there will be significant inroads made this November and functioning Democratic organizations in Minnehaha and other counties. That will be important.

Also, I fully expect a new doctor in the Big House by the Goose Pond in Pierre come January 2007.

Todd Epp
Go Democrats Editor
S.D. Watch http://thunewatch.squarespace.com

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