In concert with national Democrats flooding South Dakota with over $1 million to help Rick Weiland challenge the Republican frontrunner for the seat left open by Tim Johnson’s retirement, the Democrat challenger is showing some talent all his own.
South Dakota is currently one of the most interesting Senate races in the country. The Republican, Mike Rounds, is a former governor and long thought to be a shoo-in for the seat, but recent scandals have tarnished his reputation and other candidates are closing in.
Larry Pressler, a former Republican who is running as an Independent, has climbed in the polls recently and is now challenging Rounds. Weiland, a Democrat, is running third, behind Pressler but is within striking distance of Rounds. Finally, former state senator Gordon Howie, also running as an Independent, has attracted considerable support.
Weiland is trying to energize his base with country music parodies bringing attention to what he is running for. So far, he has aired three music videos. One based on Johnny Cash’s song “I’ve been everywhere, man,” another adapted from Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” and the third inspired by Old Crow Medicine Show’s song “Wagon Wheel.”
"It's been good for the campaign and a good thing for politics," said Weiland to ABC News. "I've gotten a lot of great feedback."
More than that, Weiland is offering concert tickets which he could get cheaply at Concertpass.com using the coupon code SAVEMORE.
Weiland was a protégé of long-time Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and although he wasn’t the first, let alone second or third, choice for the Democrat challenger in South Dakota, he has brought a fresh perspective to the campaign and is positioned to take advantage of Rounds’ stumble in the polls.
Weiland has based his campaign on “taking the country back for the working class,” and is heavily interested in campaign finance reform.
The $1 million boost to Wieland’s campaign has been earmarked for ads highlighting the immigration fraud scandal involving Rounds. Attack ads aimed at Rounds will help Pressler as much as Weiland.
"He’s (Rounds) out there shaking down big money donors and I’m out in every nook and cranny in the state shaking hands with everyday folks who I don’t think have a loud enough voice in Washington, D.C. They need a champion," Weiland said in an interview.