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 County results Noem: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Herseth Sandlin: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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U.S. Representative from South Dakota Governor of South Dakota U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security | ||
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The2010 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota took place on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Voters selected a representative for their singleat-large district, who run on a statewide ballot. On June 8, 2010, the Republicans nominatedKristi Noem, Assistant Majority Leader of theSouth Dakota House of Representatives and the Democrats nominated the incumbentStephanie Herseth Sandlin. B. Thomas Marking ran as anIndependent candidate. In the general election, Noem defeated Herseth Sandlin, winning 48.1 percent of the vote to 45.9 percent for Herseth Sandlin.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kristi Noem | 34,527 | 42.1 | |
| Republican | Chris Nelson | 28,380 | 34.6 | |
| Republican | Blake Curd | 19,134 | 23.3 | |
| Total votes | 82,041 | 100.0 | ||
During the general election campaign, Republicans criticized Herseth Sandlin's voting record. They also criticized her lobbyist husband's list of clients, noting that the companies had interests in legislation that would come before Congress.[9] Noem pointed out that theNational Association of Broadcasters paid Herseth Sandlin's husband,Max Sandlin, a lobbyist and former Congressman, $320,000 during the years 2008 and 2009 to lobby on their behalf, including a bill co-sponsored by Herseth Sandlin called the Local Radio Freedom Act.[9][10] Herseth Sandlin responded that Noem's example was "laughable".[10] TheRapid City Journal editorial board stated that Herseth Sandlin should not be laughing at a legitimate concern.[11]Roll Call called the Republican effort an attempt "to stoke anti-Beltway emotions".[9] Herseth Sandlin's campaign responded that she did not allow family members to lobby her or her staff.[9] According to a Washington attorney, Herseth Sandlin's policy seemed compliant with House ethics rules that had been tightened in 2007, though Republicans charged Herseth Sandlin was violating the spirit of the conflict interest rules.[9] "The Sunlight Foundation,Public Citizen and other watchdog groups are highly critical of Herseth Sandlin and other Members whose relatives work Congressional corridors", according toRoll Call.[9] The groups have said the House ethics rules should be comparable to the Senate's rules and should ban all lobbying "under the Dome" by relatives of Members.[9]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) | Kristi Noem (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen Reports[12] | February 23, 2010 | 49% | 34% |
| Rasmussen Reports[13] | March 25, 2010 | 46% | 35% |
| Rasmussen Reports[14] | April 26, 2010 | 50% | 35% |
| Rasmussen Reports[15] | May 27, 2010 | 46% | 43% |
| Rasmussen Reports[16] | June 14, 2010 | 41% | 53% |
| Rasmussen Reports[16][17] | July 6, 2010 | 44% | 49% |
| Rasmussen Reports[18][19] | August 3, 2010 | 42% | 51% |
| Rasmussen Reports[20] | September 8, 2010 | 47% | 45% |
| Rasmussen Reports[21] | October 4, 2010 | 44% | 47% |
| Rasmussen Reports[21] | October 20, 2010 | 44% | 49% |
| Nielson Brothers Polling[22] | October 20–22, 2010 | 42% | 40% |
On October 24, 2010,Nate Silver ofThe New York Times'FiveThirtyEight.com blog predicted that there was a 69.9% chance that Noem would defeat Sandlin.[23]
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[24] | Tossup | November 1, 2010 |
| Rothenberg[25] | Tilt R(flip) | November 1, 2010 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[26] | Lean R(flip) | November 1, 2010 |
| RCP[27] | Lean R(flip) | November 1, 2010 |
| CQ Politics[28] | Tossup | October 28, 2010 |
| New York Times[29] | Tossup | November 1, 2010 |
| FiveThirtyEight[29] | Lean R(flip) | November 1, 2010 |
The race saw each candidate spend over $1.75 million and was the first in Herseth Sandlin's career where she was outspent.[30]
Funding from political parties and interest groups totaled $2,651,621 for the race, with 78% benefiting Noem.[31] Groups supporting Herseth-Sandlin included theDCCC andCUNA. Noem was supported by theAmerican Action Network, theNRCC and theAmerican Future Fund.[31]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kristi Noem | 153,703 | 48.12% | |
| Democratic | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (incumbent) | 146,589 | 45.89% | |
| Independent | B. Thomas Marking | 19,134 | 5.99% | |
| Total votes | 319,426 | 100.00% | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
Source[33]
| Kristi Noem Republican | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin Democrat | B. Thomas Marking Independent | Margin | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes |
| Aurora | 593 | 42.54% | 707 | 50.72% | 94 | 6.74% | -114 | -8.18% | 1,394 |
| Beadle | 2,941 | 42.62% | 3,541 | 51.32% | 418 | 6.06% | -600 | -8.70% | 6,900 |
| Bennett | 499 | 47.16% | 502 | 47.45% | 57 | 5.39% | -3 | -0.28% | 1,058 |
| Bon Homme | 1,265 | 44.64% | 1,334 | 47.07% | 235 | 8.29% | -69 | -2.43% | 2,834 |
| Brookings | 4,147 | 37.19% | 6,195 | 55.56% | 808 | 7.25% | -2,048 | -18.37% | 11,150 |
| Brown | 5,712 | 39.46% | 8,100 | 55.95% | 665 | 4.59% | -2,388 | -16.50% | 14,477 |
| Brule | 971 | 45.20% | 1,017 | 47.35% | 160 | 7.45% | -46 | -2.14% | 2,148 |
| Buffalo | 91 | 20.09% | 351 | 77.48% | 11 | 2.43% | -260 | -57.40% | 453 |
| Butte | 2,357 | 63.43% | 1,128 | 30.36% | 231 | 6.22% | 1,229 | 33.07% | 3,716 |
| Campbell | 452 | 45.22% | 301 | 38.10% | 37 | 4.68% | 151 | 19.11% | 790 |
| Charles Mix | 1,710 | 48.69% | 1,620 | 46.13% | 182 | 5.18% | 90 | 2.56% | 3,512 |
| Clark | 773 | 45.85% | 787 | 46.68% | 126 | 7.47% | -14 | -0.83% | 1,686 |
| Clay | 1,642 | 35.01% | 2,802 | 59.74% | 246 | 5.25% | -1,160 | -24.73% | 4,690 |
| Codington | 4,983 | 48.16% | 4,684 | 45.27% | 679 | 6.56% | 299 | 2.89% | 10,346 |
| Corson | 362 | 41.51% | 450 | 51.61% | 60 | 6.88% | -88 | -10.09% | 872 |
| Custer | 2,378 | 59.91% | 1,278 | 32.20% | 313 | 7.89% | 1,100 | 27.71% | 3,969 |
| Davison | 3,467 | 47.64% | 3,437 | 47.22% | 374 | 5.14% | 30 | 0.41% | 7,278 |
| Day | 937 | 33.97% | 1,668 | 60.48% | 153 | 5.55% | -731 | -26.50% | 2,758 |
| Deuel | 877 | 42.86% | 999 | 48.83% | 170 | 8.31% | -122 | -5.96% | 2,046 |
| Dewey | 442 | 28.05% | 1,070 | 67.89% | 64 | 4.06% | -628 | -39.85% | 1,576 |
| Douglas | 1,083 | 65.12% | 489 | 29.40% | 91 | 5.47% | 594 | 35.72% | 1,663 |
| Edmunds | 838 | 46.69% | 834 | 46.46% | 123 | 6.85% | 4 | 0.22% | 1,795 |
| Fall River | 1,824 | 58.54% | 1,056 | 33.89% | 236 | 7.57% | 768 | 24.65% | 3,116 |
| Faulk | 553 | 50.87% | 466 | 42.87% | 68 | 6.26% | 87 | 8.00% | 1,087 |
| Grant | 1,597 | 45.63% | 1,638 | 46.80% | 265 | 7.57% | -41 | -1.17% | 3,500 |
| Gregory | 1,129 | 54.99% | 785 | 38.24% | 139 | 6.77% | 344 | 16.76% | 2,053 |
| Haakon | 718 | 69.37% | 254 | 24.54% | 63 | 6.09% | 464 | 44.83% | 1,035 |
| Hamlin | 1,463 | 55.29% | 963 | 36.39% | 220 | 8.31% | 500 | 18.90% | 2,646 |
| Hand | 906 | 49.24% | 804 | 43.70% | 130 | 7.07% | 102 | 5.54% | 1,840 |
| Hanson | 1,048 | 60.09% | 594 | 34.06% | 102 | 5.85% | 454 | 26.03% | 1,744 |
| Harding | 490 | 73.03% | 127 | 18.93% | 54 | 8.05% | 363 | 54.10% | 671 |
| Hughes | 3,849 | 49.95% | 3,432 | 44.54% | 425 | 5.52% | 417 | 5.41% | 7,706 |
| Hutchinson | 1,822 | 56.92% | 1,176 | 36.74% | 203 | 6.34% | 646 | 20.18% | 3,201 |
| Hyde | 412 | 57.22% | 277 | 38.47% | 31 | 4.31% | 135 | 18.75% | 720 |
| Jackson | 534 | 55.51% | 369 | 38.36% | 59 | 6.13% | 165 | 17.15% | 962 |
| Jerauld | 461 | 40.76% | 581 | 51.37% | 89 | 7.87% | -120 | -10.61% | 1,131 |
| Jones | 377 | 63.90% | 180 | 30.51% | 33 | 5.59% | 197 | 33.39% | 590 |
| Kingsbury | 1,044 | 42.18% | 1,229 | 49.66% | 202 | 8.16% | -185 | -7.47% | 2,475 |
| Lake | 2,414 | 46.39% | 2,458 | 47.23% | 332 | 6.38% | -44 | -0.85% | 5,204 |
| Lawrence | 5,431 | 53.26% | 4,019 | 39.41% | 747 | 7.33% | 1,412 | 13.85% | 10,197 |
| Lincoln | 9,440 | 52.44% | 7,699 | 42.77% | 862 | 4.79% | 1,741 | 9.67% | 18,001 |
| Lyman | 677 | 48.36% | 604 | 43.14% | 119 | 8.50% | 73 | 5.21% | 1,400 |
| Marshall | 660 | 35.64% | 1,107 | 59.77% | 85 | 4.59% | -447 | -24.14% | 1,852 |
| McCook | 1,216 | 48.41% | 1,126 | 44.82% | 170 | 6.77% | 90 | 3.58% | 2,512 |
| McPherson | 692 | 57.33% | 447 | 37.03% | 68 | 5.63% | 245 | 20.30% | 1,207 |
| Meade | 5,741 | 61.10% | 3,049 | 32.45% | 606 | 6.45% | 2,692 | 28.65% | 9,396 |
| Mellette | 320 | 42.22% | 373 | 49.21% | 65 | 8.58% | -53 | -6.99% | 758 |
| Miner | 458 | 41.08% | 581 | 52.11% | 76 | 6.82% | -123 | -11.03% | 1,115 |
| Minnehaha | 28,968 | 44.50% | 32,430 | 49.82% | 3,698 | 5.68% | -3,462 | -5.32% | 65,096 |
| Moody | 1,111 | 40.80% | 1,433 | 57.18% | 201 | 2.02% | -503 | -16.39% | 2,745 |
| Pennington | 21,489 | 57.94% | 13,597 | 36.66% | 2,002 | 5.40% | 7,892 | 21.28% | 37,088 |
| Perkins | 859 | 62.38% | 418 | 30.36% | 100 | 7.26% | 441 | 32.03% | 1,377 |
| Potter | 745 | 56.35% | 518 | 39.18% | 59 | 4.46% | 227 | 17.17% | 1,322 |
| Roberts | 1,507 | 39.12% | 2,077 | 53.92% | 268 | 6.96% | -570 | -14.80% | 3,852 |
| Sanborn | 514 | 44.16% | 578 | 49.66% | 72 | 6.19% | -64 | -5.50% | 1,164 |
| Shannon | 191 | 7.63% | 2,260 | 90.29% | 52 | 2.08% | -2,069 | -82.66% | 2,503 |
| Spink | 1,201 | 40.85% | 1,564 | 53.20% | 175 | 5.95% | -363 | -12.35% | 2,940 |
| Stanley | 726 | 50.88% | 601 | 42.12% | 100 | 7.01% | 125 | 8.76% | 1,427 |
| Sully | 427 | 57.24% | 270 | 36.19% | 49 | 6.57% | 157 | 21.05% | 746 |
| Todd | 421 | 21.03% | 1,500 | 74.93% | 81 | 4.05% | -1,079 | -53.90% | 2,002 |
| Tripp | 1,390 | 37.52% | 949 | 59.07% | 169 | 3.41% | 441 | 17.58% | 2,508 |
| Treasure | 1,875 | 49.30% | 1,676 | 44.07% | 252 | 6.63% | 199 | 5.23% | 3,803 |
| Union | 3,356 | 55.60% | 2,408 | 39.89% | 272 | 4.51% | 948 | 15.71% | 6,036 |
| Walworth | 1,229 | 54.89% | 871 | 38.90% | 139 | 6.21% | 358 | 15.99% | 2,239 |
| Yankton | 3,653 | 42.18% | 4,336 | 50.07% | 671 | 7.75% | -683 | -7.89% | 8,660 |
| Ziebach | 245 | 35.61% | 415 | 60.32% | 28 | 4.07% | -170 | -24.71% | 688 |
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin's family situation is becoming a major headache for the South Dakota Democrat in her tough re-election bid, with Republicans ramping up their criticisms of her voting record — and her lobbyist husband's extensive list of clients. In March 2007, the lawmaker married lobbyist and ex-Rep. Max Sandlin, a Texas Democrat who lost his seat to Rep. Louie Gohmert (R) in 2004.
As Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin battles Republican challenger Kristi Noem in this fall's election, she has found herself under attack from Republicans for her husband's day job -– political lobbyist. Noem and her campaign are claiming Herseth Sandlin is being improperly influenced by lobbying contracts of Max Sandlin, a former Texas congressman who married the congresswoman in 2007.
Herseth Sandlin's claim that transparency and disclosure are adequate doesn't cut it. She should not be laughing off this legitimate concern.
Republican Kristi Noem again passes the 50% mark of support this month against incumbent Democrat Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin in the race for South Dakota's only House seat.
Debates
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