South Dakota Senate Background

SOUTH DAKOTA-THUNE(R-inc.)

1998 Result: Daschle wins 62%-36%.

2004 Result: Thune wins 50.58%-49.42%.

In 2004, Republican John Thune became a hero among conservatives for defeating then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D). Thune, who had lost a race for Senate two years earlier by less than 600 votes to Sen. Tim Johnson, is widely viewed as a possible rising star for the GOP, and he seems quite popular. With Daschle embarrassed over his unpaid taxes and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) considering a run for Governor, Democrats look thin on candidates.

Initial Outlook: OVERWHELMING ADVANTAGE FOR THUNE.