Whalen Challenged in Fund Raising Campaign

Republican congressional candidate Bruce Whalen of Pine Ridge is in the home stretch of a campaign fundraising effort.

Last month, the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee challenged Whalen to raise $75,000 by Friday. Then some matching money would be given the campaign.

Whalen had raised $55,000 as of Monday, with fundraising events in Sioux Falls and Rapid City this week.

Whalen's campaign manager says the NRCC will support Whalen no matter what, but that it just wants to see signs that the campaign is working and that South Dakotans are giving.

His campaign manager says Whalen will need about $500,000 to compete against Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth.

After Congressman Janklow caused a fatal accident, pro-abort Democrat Stephanie Herseth (a high priority Emily's list candidate when she first ran for office) managed to grab the congressional seat in pro-life South Dakota. Whalen is a relative unknown, but his strong pro-family campaign and his ties to the Native American community may enable him to pull off an upset. See Whalen's Web site:

http://www.brucewhalen.org/

Didnt some guy named Dietrich try to run against her twice and lost what the heck is up with SD anyway
they throw out TOmmy Daschle elect an R but still have one senator and the lone congressman as Ds
what gives

Bill Janklow did the Republican party no favors. He ran a against Republican Senator James Abdnor in the 1986 primary, and that's what opened the door to Daschle's narrow victory over Abdnor. Then Janklow undercut Republican Senator Larry Pressler and allowed Democrat Tim Johnson to get South Dakota's other senate seat. Then when John Thune gave up his congressional seat to run against Johnson, Janklow elbowed other Republicans out of the way to get the congressional nomination. Usually a nasty campaigner, Janklow played softball with Stephanie Herseth. When Janklow was forced to resign, Janklow' stench tainted even Republicans who had nothing to do with him. Herseth won the special election 51-49. She won the regular election 53-47 a couple of months later.

After Daschle's defeat, Janklow ran ads praising Daschle, and, by implication, saying the state had made a mistake. Janklow recently got his law license back. None of his considerable wealth went to compensate the family of his victim. I have hear rumors that Janklow is now considering a challenge to Republican Governor Mike Rounds, one of the top conservative governors in the country.

As I say, he has done the Repubicans in the state no favors.

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