Discussion for article #228249
Harry Reid not endorsing in South Dakota is not all bad. In fact Reid being not for Weiland shows that Weiland is more of a maverick and independent than a belt way endorsed democrat.
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I’ve read several stories on this issue but none address the obvious question – why is Harry Reid so opposed to Rick Weiland? He is the Democratic nominee so isn’t it time to get behind the party’s candidate whether Reid initially endorsed him or not?
Reid is usually pretty smart about politics, but endorsing the Democrat should be pretty perfunctory if there’s not something odd going on. If there’s not a problem with Weiland, endorse him. Considering how unfunded he is, for the race to be that close when it was expected to be a blowout could mean the chance for an upset.
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From reading the article, it hardly sounds like a “Battle”(as per TPM headline) but more a difference of opinion. And since the purported “battle” came from The Hill, what else could one expect
I live in SD. It is much better for Weiland not to be endorsed by Reid. Reid is toxic in this state and that endorsement would hurt more than help.
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Reid is blowing it big time in South Dakota. There is four candidates in this race–a tea party candidate, a former Republican Senator running as an “I” and a scandal plaqued former governor and Rick Weiland. This is a winnable race and Reid can’t see it because he is pissed off at Daschle for having the audacity to want to be involved in who runs for Senate in his state of South Dakota. Bottom line there is a very active revolt in South Dakota of Democrats ready to leave the party beacause they can’t get any support for their candidate in a race that we all know Weiland can win. Here are the numbers–38% Dems in SD–Weiland gets them all plus 50% 0f the independents and (17%) this puts him at 46%. 45% of the state is R and Rounds gets most of these 40% plus 4% from I for a total of 44%. Pressler gets 5% of the R vote and 5% from the I vote–thats assuming Tea Party guy gets no votes and lets assume maybe he takes one or two points from Rounds and Pressler. Even Harry can do this kind of math. Send us some help Reid or this state that has always had a Dem in a national office will go away forever.
Every poll I have seen (which admittedly, SD is not being heavily polled this cycle) has Rounds leading by a comfortable double digit lead. RCP currently has Rounds at 41%, Weiland at 28%(!!) and Pressler at 18%.
28% is a long, long way from showing he can win the race. Its 10 points away from the number you are attributing to total Dems in the state. And 10 points in a Senate race…IS a Senate race.
This is a meaningless cat fight over who should support the losing candidate. I appreciate Daschal wanted to support an ex-aide, but its not going to matter either way there.
The backstory not mentioned in the article is Reid wanted Stephanie Herseth to run–she was concerned about a primary as she has strayed considerably from the Democratic party on many issues in an effort to remain electable–didn’t work she lost her re-election bid for Congress. Herseth would have been a very strong candidate in the general election and is well thougt of in the the state. Reid wanted her to run unopposed in the primary–when Weiland jumped in early Ms. Herseth apparently opted not to run and Reid was mad. He blamed Daschle for encouraging Weiland to run and that is where the feud began. Weiland has been a great candidate. He has travelled to every town in South Dakota twice and is running a true grass-roots campaign anti-big money campaign. Very refreshing. The poll numbers do not reflect what is happening in this state. Rounds is getting pummeled from all sides not just Weiland. Weiland is supposedly polling at 28% and yet we have 38% dems in the state. I have not spoken with one single Dem that is voting for Pressler or Rounds—where are those numbers coming from? The numbers don’t add up for those of us that live in SD as I have for 49 years. If Weiland got the help he needs this is a race that Dems can win. Reid needs to check his ego at the door and do what is best for the party–he’s a boxer–he should put the gloves on and go toe to toe with the Republicans in South Dakota. I can’t believe he is afraid to get in the ring with them. We have a word for that in South Dakota.
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