[King of Florida]

Governor Mike Rounds is a Republican. If the senator dies, or has to step down for health reasons, it would give the Senate back to the pachyderms.

Not because of anything Governor Rounds did. Ever the curious one, I checked South Dakota law. A special election is supposed to be held between 80 and 90 days of the vacancy:

12-11-1. Special election to fill congressional vacancy--Time of election of representative. If a vacancy occurs in the office of a senator or representative in the United States Congress it shall be the duty of the Governor within ten days of the occurrence, to issue a proclamation setting the date of and calling for a special election for the purpose of filling such vacancy. If either a primary or general election is to be held within six months, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of representative in the United States Congress shall be held in conjunction with that election, otherwise the election shall be held not less than eighty nor more than ninety days after the vacancy occurs.

http://legis.state.sd.us/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=12-11-1

[NonZeroSum]

No, read it again. That's for a representative, not a senator. The governor appoints senators, and the replacement would keep his or her seat at least until the next election opportunity (in this case, 2008).

[Political Junkie Too]

It seems that the rules for the Senate are different. See 12-11-4 through 6.

This statute seems in conflict with the rest of the language for filling a federal Senate vacancy.

-PJ