[republicanwizard]

Thanks JohnnyZ! This is the reason I created this post.

I think either Thune or Janklow would take the seat, but we first need to avoid a primary. To avoid the primary, one has to become AG Secretary. Which one do you think is stronger to take on Daschle. Janklow has the gravitas; Thune has the energy.

Too bad, Bush didn't deny South Dakota their idiotic farm protection; all the cheating in the world would not have saved Johnson then. Bush should have waited until after the election!

[JohnnyZ]

Thune is probably more popular in the state because Janklow is a very blunt guy and ticked off some folks as governor -- of course, he still ended up winning Rep. 53-46. I'm thinking Janklow will prevail, and would be a stronger candidate against Daschle at least -- he's very strong-willed. As the Argus Leader guy says, the D's don't have much to go with, unless they try Stephanie Herseth for Senate, but there's no reason to think SoDak would give her the nod either. Thune might be best off going back to Rep or taking an Admin job until Johnson's seat comes up again -- presumably Johnson will be an insignificant minority senator at that point, without Daschle to hold his hand and spoon-feed him legislation.

The Dakotas are a Big Deal this year, as Byron Dorgan and Earl Pomeroy are up in NoDak. This is the best year to finally take down what they call all-Democratic "Team North Dakota" and then smack down Kent Conrad in 2006.