Tom Daschle to Lose Senate Seat?

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota. -- Control of the Senate will be up for grabs on Election Day. Right now, Republicans hold a slight edge 51-49, but there are some key Senate races that will determine the outcome. The biggest one is in South Dakota, where the top Democrat, Minority Leader Tom Daschle, is in the fight for his political life.

On the colorful, picture-postcard plains of South Dakota comes the story of Tom and John. That is how they are known out here. And no, they are not best friends. As a matter of fact, they are not that fond of each other.

But debates like that happen when you are involved in the most important Senate race in the country. So that is why CBN News came to this state, where the slogan reads, “Great faces. Great places.”

Maybe they should add a line this year to say, 'Great races, too." Because that is what this is. A heavyweight bout between Sen. Daschle, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, and his challenger John Thune, who wants to send Tom packing. Thune is asking voters here to see Daschle for who he truly is: the liberal Washington, D.C. insider who is blocking the President's agenda at every turn.

And Thune says that does not jive with the conservative values of South Dakotans. He comments, "You cannot effectively represent your state, the state of South Dakota, at the same time you are having to take your cues and answers to a liberal Democratic caucus that consists of Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. And that's who he has to answer to."

There is no arguing that the people here in South Dakota are pretty conservative. Four years ago, this state went to George W. Bush, and polls indicate it will again this time as well. So how is Sen. Daschle doing it? How, for 25 years has this state continued to elect him, even though his liberal views seem to be in direct contrast to the people here?

The Daschle camp will tell you it is really pretty simple. They point to how time and time again, he has come through with big money for the state, and has wielded his influential power in a way that benefits South Dakotans.

Jake Mass, Daschle's campaign press secretary, says, "When the farm bill was written, Tom Daschle was in the room. He ensured that it was the most South Dakota-friendly farm bill that's ever been written. We have that ability because we have Tom Daschle in Washington fighting for our states priorities."

"Does anyone really think that the money coming into South Dakota is going to completely dry up,” said, Thune, “if Tom Daschle is not the minority leader? Any senator who's worth their salt is going to get their fair share of the federal dollars. That's what senators do."

Yet for years, the image of Daschle as a prairie populist has stuck with voters here. The liberal Washington insider tag has not. And Daschle's TV ads really sum up what his campaign theme is: "It may seem like something small, but every year Tom Daschle gets in his car and visits every county in the state. Every year, Tom goes to all 66 counties and nine reservations to listen and to learn. And while we are a small state, Tom Daschle makes sure our voice is heard in the halls of power, and that South Dakota's needs are put to the top of the national agenda."

The Thune camp says, wait a minute. The South Dakota visits may be a nice touch, but what he's doing in Washington is downright wrong. They point to a list of legislation called the 'Daschle dead zone" that has passed the House, but Daschle has blocked almost all of it.

Like permanent tax cuts, a cloning bill, flag burning, an energy bill, welfare reform and yes, one of the biggest ones: judicial nominations, where Thune says Daschle is leading the crusade to block votes on Bush's nominees.

And the Thune camp says a shot of Daschle hugging Bush after 9/11, which Daschle is using in his ads in South Dakota, says it all. Thune says that picture is misleading voters because Daschle is not supporting Bush at all. So the question is, will the liberal label stick, or will voters go with a known commodity?. Right now, the race is a toss up.

David Kranz has been covering South Dakota politics for 30 years. CBN News asked him if this is the most danger Daschle has been in, in his political career in South Dakota. Kranz responded, "Oh, there's no doubt about it."

Kranz writes for the Argus Leader, the dominant newspaper in South Dakota and he says this race will be decided by one factor. "It's going to come down to get out the vote. The ground game is critical. You can look at all the ads you want to. You can listen to all the messages on radio. Read everything in the newspaper about this particular contest; but in the end, it's the people who are in charge; that says I need to get these people to vote. That's going to decide this election."

The challenge for both Daschle and Thune will be finding the votes here that matter. It is estimated that most people here in South Dakota have made up their mind. Polls are showing that only two percent of the population here is still undecided. That is very low, and it has both sides scrambling to find the undecided.

When you look for undecideds, you go just about anywhere, including the annual homecoming parade in small town Harrisburg, South Dakota. There is the homecoming king and queen, and the man on the tractor, and yes, there's Thune, glad-handing and high-fiving his way through the crowd. It is an advantage he has over Daschle, who has to spend most of his time in Washington.

Yet the Daschle volunteers are here handing out stickers to anyone they can find. One Daschle supporter said, "Daschle is strictly for the ordinary person. I think he's worked hard all these years in the Senate for South Dakota, the common ordinary person."

But if we move from the parade to one of the local hangouts in Sioux Falls, the view changes and the conversation is definitely top of mind.

One Thune supporter named Mark said, “I mean he's the minority leader. I mean, the things that's he done and stood up for and said. It's just not South Dakota, and it's time for him to go."

As for the signs around town, they are pretty split, just like this race. Daschle signs on one side of the street -- maybe it is the left side, and Thune on the right. At the Daschle campaign headquarters, the pro-Tom signs are up, and volunteers are at the ready.

Mass said, "It's not about being a liberal or a Democrat. It's about putting South Dakota's priorities first, and I think South Dakotans know Tom Daschle, and they've seen him time and time again put South Dakota first."

But just a few minutes away, at Thune headquarters, volunteers there are on the phone to potential voters with a much different message. One that they hope will have a lasting effect.

CBN News asked Thune, "If you're able to send Daschle out of office, what kind of message is that going to send to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party?

Thune replied, "A win here in South Dakota will send a message once and for all to the Democrat caucus, that whoever their next leader is should not employ this block-and-blame game, this pattern of obstructionism that is keeping the work from going forward. I think it will break that logjam, get the Senate functioning and working again in a way that very few other races in the country can."

So the next time you think of South Dakota, remember, it is not just about Mount Rushmore, or cows, or small town U.S.A. It is also about Tom and John, and there is a lot riding on the outcome.

>>If Thune couldn't beat Tim Johnson, a non-entity, how can you
expect him to beat Daschle, who is the leader of the Dems in the Senate?<<

good question. i think Johnson didn't get as much reaction from the conservatives. they just thought "he's good enough". But this campaign has high emotion, and i do think many are finally seeing the national dislike for Dasshole. and the President is very popular here, obviously Dasshole knows that. why else all the sickining lying adds where he fantasises that the President is his best pal.

Thune is on fire, and he is more well known now..
plus, as mentioned, we have a turn around of sorts with some influential Native American leaders that we didn't have in the 02 election.

i think the chances are great for him.

i also think what happens with the Presidential race between now and election could have some bearing..

Keep Thune in Prayer please.. and Larry Diedrich,, he just lost his father-in-law recently and is looking tired. he had major heart surgery this summer.. and he has been going steady ever since.

The war in Iraq, combined with little Tommy's obstructionism and his party's devolvement into the 'anti-war party'.

South Dakotans have had a bad habit of employing Dems to represent them at the national level, but they are a very patriotic bunch.

And John Thune's political capital grew exponentially in the aftermath of the close election two years ago; it didn't shrink.

Nothing Americans hate more than a sore loser, and John never allowed himself to fall into that trap.

We need all of these Senate seats. Net lose of one or two may cause Dems to get the majority in the U.S. Senate, making Daschle or some other Dem into the majority leader. In order to get Supreme Court and other judges confirmed, we need a larger Senate majority.

Please go to the web sites (see links below) or campaign offices and help in any way you can. Get signs, bumper stickers, and volunteer if you live in the state. If not in that state, you can still contribute securely online by credit card.

Here are the seven that have been identified as close Senate seats:

South Carolina: DeMint for Senate web site (click here)

Florida: Martinez for Senate web site (click here).

South Dakota: Thune for Senate web site (click here). Defeating Daschle would be especially sweet!

Louisiana: Vitter for Senate web site (click here)

North Carolina: Burr for Senate web site (click here)

Coburn for Senate web site (click here)

Alaska: Murkowski for Senate web site (click here)

Here is a seat that the GOP should easily win, but recent polls show that the Dem is closing fast and we can't afford to lose this seat.

South Carolina: DeMint for Senate web site (click here)

Here is another seat that would be great to win. Beating Osama Mama Patty Murray of Washington is a long-shot, but would be great. Plus, Nethercutt upset Dem House Speaker Tom Foley ten years ago. Maybe, he has another upset in his future?

Washington: Nethercutt for Senate (click here)

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