FOX NEWS SOURCES: John Thune Beginning To Hire Staff For Senate Run Against Daschle (YES!!!)

Fox News ^ | December 16, 2003 | Major Garret

[Pubbie]

On top of the vacancies, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (search) of South Dakota is potentially facing a formidable challenge in 2004 against former Republican Rep. John Thune (search).

Thune lost the Senate race against Democrat Tim Johnson (search) in 2002 by 524 votes. On Tuesday, he announced he was not going to seek the House seat being vacated by convicted Rep. Bill Janklow (search). Republican sources told Fox News that Thune is recruiting staff for a campaign against Daschle next year.

[Pubbie]

Oh well, let Thune take him down in November.

[Vision]

This is the best news of the day.

[rface]

well, I was "bumming" when I heard that he was not going to go after the open House seat..... But! This is great!

Big old Dass-hole is going to be crappin' in his panties - I suspect (hope) SD has had enough time to fix the voting fraud that cost Thune the last election

[Moonman62]

Have you ever seen here sitting behind GWB at the meetings? She always has a stern look with her eyes darting back and forth.

[rface]

All of you "out of staters"...please help. Any thing to help defeat Daschle.

so does Thune have a web site or some place that accepts $$ yet?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Deal me in baby.

[ErnBatavia]

I hope he's learned this time around to have enough blood on his teeth to try and actually win....he sure didn't last time. He wimped out when victory was a mere legal battle away, given the apparent voter fraud up there.

[ForOurFuture]

so does Thune have a web site or some place that accepts $$ yet?

No. He has not officially announced yet. Google "Thune for Senate" every couple of weeks and you should be able to find it once its up, assuming he does announce he's running.

[IncPen]

ping

[wylenetheconservative]

I think Thune will put up a good fight, but I can't see him winning. I wish he would run for the House. Johnson is nowhere near as popular as Daschle, and Thune couldn't beat him. The dynamics in 2004 will likely not be as good as they were in 2002, when the GOP won with a national mini-wave. Plus, Daschle will be better funded than Johnson was. I just don't see how Thune wins this one. He'll get around 47 or 48%, but that won't do it. Don't forget that Daschle can always rely upon massive fraud on the Indian reservations if he needs it. I think Thune and the GOP would be better served by running for the House. Herseth will win that seat, IMHO, if Thune doesn't run. She nearly beat Janklow, a SD institution at that time, in 2002.

[Vigilanteman]

"Tom Daschle may have been hurt somewhat by becoming more closely identified with the national Democratic Party rather than being a senator who is serving South Dakota and tending to local issues. I think that could be seriously contested," Barone said.

Good news, indeed. Thune is opting to carry the ball over the goal line rather than settle for kicking a field goal. Risky but worth the risk.

I hope the South Dakota Republicans have a deep enough bench not to cede the house seat to the mouthy liberal broad who is disguising herself as a moderate. What's her name again?

[Theodore R.]

Actually, the SD GOP was warned about potential fraud on Indian reservations a month before the 2002 general lection. The party did not authorize proper ballot security operations. The leaders were afraid of false charges from the media of "racism" in regard to "Native Americans." Therefore, Tim Johnson remains in the Senate. Daschle will be the prohibitive favorite: people in SD really think he "makes a difference," a popular liberal code word these days.

[holyscroller]

:Also, little Dickie Gephardt! (CanNOT stand him!!!)"

Hey learn to spell it right. It's Dippy Geckhardt!

[jern]

great news

[OldFriend]

All he needs to do is hire lawyers to monitor the polls.

[G Larry]

Send it to him personally now!
Before he announces, contributions are subject only to "gift tax" limits.
At present that's $11K/year.
(untaxable to Thune, not deductable by you)
By the way, I've carried this tag line for the past year.

[Theodore R.]

Also, little Dickie Gephardt! (CanNOT stand him!!!)"

What do you suppose the fine citizens of St. Louis see in that creature? Do they think he is bringing them home some "federal gravy" or what?

[wylenetheconservative]

Little Dick's district has a high black population and a high percentage of union households, especially after the latest round of re-districting. The GOP cadidate can get to 40%, but getting above that is tough.

[Theodore R.]

Unions, yes, doesn't Gephardt talk about his late father having been a union man? But he doesn't say that Mr. Gephardt was also a REPUBLICAN!!! Horrors to Gephardt.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

If he runs will he actually fight for this one or just give up again instead of fighting for it. He sure didn't fight for it last time when there was obvious democratic fraud. I'm getting a little tired of these Republicans who aren't willing to fight to win. Down here in Louisiana Bobby Jindal had the governors race all but locked up but refused to answer negative ads in the closing days and wound up losing. Nice guys finish last.