[MHT]

I suspect that the voter fraud indictments in SD after the 2002 Senate election might warrant federal election observers be brought into the reservations by the Justice Department, much like they did in St. Louis City after the 2000 election produced polls open until 11 PM, etc.

[wrbones]

That was where the one woman was busted,(on the reservation) but everyone knows that was just the tip of the iceberg. Voter fraud was obvious in several other places in the state regarding Democrat wins the last go 'round....that's about the only way they can win up here.

For a Republican cadidate to lose a race up here they have to almost be moving backwards. That has happened, though...

[woodyinscc]

Three hundred thirty eight thousand cast their ballot in the 2002 Senate election. A three point lead equates to a ten thousand point lead. I think the polling is spot on, for two reasons. The libertarian candidate is no longer on the ballot, and he garnered 3000+ votes in the last election. The exit polling showed that out of the 13000 R's that voted for Johnson, 45% of them did so in the hopes of returning Daschle to the majority leader, thus keeping the pork coming to SD. This will not be a factor in this election. There is another reason bubbling beneath the surface, and that is both a sympathy and pride vote for Thune, who suffered a heartbreaking loss in 2002, but took it like a true South Dakotan.