Hello dailykos. I live in South Dakota and am following the SD-Sen race this year. I hope for this to be one of many diaries about the race. Join me on the flip for a review of campaign news for the day.
cross-posted at usddems
Apparently there are contradicting reports on Sen. Johnson's plans to get back to the Senate. Earlier today I reported that Sen. Johnson planned to get back sometime after Labor Day. Johnson's communication director Megan Smith and a person who recently had dinner with Johnson, Sharon Stroschein, are on record saying there are no plans for his return yet therefore it is wrong to say he will be back after Labor Day. Smith said although there are no official plans for his return but they will exist sometime.
Honestly this race makes me more nervous by the day. If Johnson declines to run or runs but is perceived as unfit for office then this will become a prime GOP pickup opportunity. Heck, Johnson only won by a few hundred votes last election so it would be a tough race for him anyway most likely. I am sure the Republicans are salivating over this anyway since it is one of their only shots of victory in an election year that is sure to be bad for Republicans nationally. Republicans are defending about twice as many seats as Democrats in the Senate this time around and are increasingly unpopular nationally because of Iraq and corruption. I hope Johnson is only lurking in the shadows so that he may recover 100% and when he shows his face and announces his intentions to run he will be the same healthy Johnson we all remember.
All is not ill for his campaign though. On top of reports yesterday that I reported on this blog that Johnson made more than any other candidate except Edwards with online donations on ActBlue.com there is new word today that Johnson has actually increased his fundraising from this quarter 6 years ago.
...his Senate colleagues have cleared his way by holding multiple fundraisers, ultimately raising $1.3 million for him this year. That's about $300,000 more than he raised in the first six months of 2001, the year before his last election.
In other Johnson related news, it appears that Sam Kephart is rolling the dice on Iraq. Kephart is one of two Republicans so far that are competing in the primary for the chance to challenge Johnson. Kephart announced that he wants to pull out of Iraq stating, "The situation in Iraq is bogged down and will continue to devolve." While there is a chance that the Republican base will come around on Iraq I find it unlikely. I suspect that the Republican base will continue drinking their Iraq-flavored Kool-Aid and if Kephart is trying to win them over with an anti-war message then he will be bitterly disappointed. On the other hand, if the primary ends up very splintered and crowded and Kephart is the only anti-war candidate for the GOP then he may siphon off just enough votes from the minority that he doesnt really need the GOP base to carry the nomination.