South Dakota
South Dakota US Senate Historical Snapshot
Now that Mississippi Republican Trent Lott has announced his retirement, 35 U.S. Senate seats will be on the ballot next November—23 held by the GOP and just 12 by Democrats. One of the few seats targeted by the Republicans is…
Read MoreSmart Politics Live Blogging At Abortion Policy Event
Smart Politics will be blogging live tonight at a program on abortion policy held from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. From the Humphrey press release: “The South Dakota legislature and governor…
Read MoreSmart Politics Live Blog At Abortion Policy Event
7:00 p.m. Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota is the featured speaker at tonight’s event. The launching pad for tonight’s discussion of abortion policy is South Dakota’s 2006 restrictions on abortion, passed by…
Read MoreSenator Johnson to Run for 3rd Term In South Dakota
On Friday South Dakota senior Senator Tim Johnson confirmed what had been suspected for months: the 2-term Democratic incumbent will run for a 3rd term in 2008. Senator Johnson is extremely popular in his home state, and perhaps has gained…
Read MoreSen. Johnson Makes First Public Appearance in SD Since Illness
On Tuesday evening Sioux Falls hosted a “Welcome Back” celebration marking Democratic Senator Tim Johnson’s birthday and return to South Dakota for the first time since nearly losing his life last December. The Senator spoke for a little more…
Read MoreSD 2008 Election Forecast: Will Momentum Towards the Democrats Continue?
South Dakota, one of the most reliably Republican states in the Midwest, will be an interesting state to watch in 2008. First, the state will have a high-profile Senate race, whether or not the state’s senior Senator, Democrat Tim…
Read MoreSenator Tim Johnson: Update
South Dakota senior Senator Tim Johnson remains in an in-patient rehabilitation center in Washington, D.C. as he continues his recovery from the arteriovenous malformation that struck him late last year. Before falling ill, Johnson was already considered one of…
Read MoreGun Ownership Upper Midwestern Snapshot
The mass murders at Virginia Tech University this week have inspired those in gun control circles to renew their pressure on politicians to reexamine our nation’s gun laws; it has also caused 2nd Amendment strict constructionists to dig in deeper…
Read MoreSouth Dakota Passes Qualified Minimum Wage Increase
This week South Dakota enacted legislation increasing the state hourly minimum wage—contingent upon an increase in the federal minimum wage law. South Dakota’s current minimum wage is fixed at $5.15 per hour—identical to the federal law—and will not increase…
Read MoreUpper Midwestern States Contemplate Presidential Primary Dates
As Election 2008 heats up, states across the nation are strategically shuffling their primary and caucus schedules in attempt to become more relevant players in the presidential campaign. Upper Midwestern states are also contemplating changes to their schedules in view…
Read More