2010 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota explained

The 2010 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota took place on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Voters selected a representative for their single At-Large district, who run on a statewide ballot. On June 8, 2010, the Republicans nominated Kristi Noem, Assistant Majority Leader of the South Dakota House of Representatives and the Democrats nominated the incumbent Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. B. Thomas Marking ran as an Independent candidate. In the general election, Noem defeated Herseth Sandlin, winning 48.1 percent of the vote to 45.9 percent for Herseth Sandlin.

Democratic Primary

Nominee

• Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, incumbent^{[1] [2]}

Announced

• Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, incumbent^[2]

Potential

• Steve Hildebrand, deputy national campaign director of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign^[3]

Republican Primary

Nominee

• Kristi Noem, Assistant Majority Leader of the South Dakota House of Representatives^[1]

Announced

• Blake Curd, member of the South Dakota House of Representatives^[4]
• Chris Nelson, Secretary of State of South Dakota^[5]
• Kristi Noem, member of the South Dakota House of Representatives

Withdrew

• Thad Wasson, technician^{[6] [7]}

Declined

• Shantel Krebs, member of the South Dakota House of Representatives^[8]

Primary results

Campaign

Issues

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 the National 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] The Rapid 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 to Roll 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]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D)	Kristi Noem (R)
Rasmussen Reports[12]	February 23, 2010	align=center	49%	34%
Rasmussen Reports[13]	March 25, 2010	align=center	46%	35%
Rasmussen Reports[14]	April 26, 2010	align=center	50%	35%
Rasmussen Reports[15]	May 27, 2010	align=center	46%	43%
Rasmussen Reports[16]	June 14, 2010	41%	align=center	53%
Rasmussen Reports[17]	July 6, 2010	44%	align=center	49%
Rasmussen Reports[18] [19]	August 3, 2010	42%	align=center	51%
Rasmussen Reports[20]	September 8, 2010	align=center	47%	45%
Rasmussen Reports[21]	October 4, 2010	44%	align=center	47%
Rasmussen Reports	October 20, 2010	44%	align=center	49%
Nielson Brothers Polling[22]	October 20–22, 2010	align=center	42%	40%

On October 24, 2010, Nate Silver of The New York Times FiveThirtyEight.com blog predicted that there was a 69.9% chance that Noem would defeat Sandlin.^[23]

Fundraising

The race saw each candidate spend over $1.75 million and was the first in Herseth Sandlin's career where she was outspent.^[24]

Funding from political parties and interest groups totaled $2,651,621 for the race, with 78% benefiting Noem.^[25] Groups supporting Herseth-Sandlin included the DCCC and CUNA. Noem was supported by the American Action Network, the NRCC and the American Future Fund.^[25]

Results

By county

Source^[26]

	Kristi Noem Republican		Stephanie Herseth Sandlin Democrat		B. Thomas Marking Independent		Margin		Total
align=center	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

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Douglas (largest city: Armour)
• Union (Largest city: Dakota Dunes)
• Hutchinson (largest city: Parkston)
• Lincoln (largest city: Sioux Falls)
• Turner (largest city: Parker)
• Butte (largest city: Belle Fourche)
• Perkins (largest city: Belle Fourche)
• Tripp (largest city: Winner)
• Fall River (largest city: Hot Springs)
• Lawrence (largest city: Spearfish)
• Meade (largest city: Sturgis)
• Pennington (largest city: Rapid City)
• Gregory (largest city: Gregory)
• Stanley (largest city: Fort Peirre)
• Sully (largest city: Onida)
• Hughes (largest city: Pierre)
• Hyde (largest city: Highmore)
• McPherson (largest city: Eureka)
• Potter (largest city: Gettysburg)
• Walworth (largest city: Mobridge)
• Campbell (largest city: Herreid)
• Hanson (largest city: Alexandria)
• Codington (largest city: Watertown)
• Davison (largest city: Mitchell)
• Hamlin (largest city: Estelline)
• McCook (largest city: Salem)
• Charles Mix (Largest city: Wagner)
• Edmunds (largest city: Ipswich)
• Faulk (largest city: Faulkton)
• Hand (largest city: Miller)
• Jackson (largest city: Kadoka)
• Lyman (largest city: Lower Brule)
• Custer (largest city: Custer)
• Douglas (largest city: Armour)
• Haakon (largest city: Philip)
• Harding (largest city: Buffalo)
• Jones (largest city: Murdo)

See also

• South Dakota's at-large congressional district

External links

• Elections from the South Dakota Secretary of State
• U.S. Congress Candidates for South Dakota at Project Vote Smart
• 2010 South Dakota General Election: Kristi Noem (R) vs Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com

• House - South Dakota from the Cook Political Report
• South Dakota - At-Large from OurCampaigns.com
• Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
• 2010 South Dakota - 1st District from CQ Politics
• Race profile at The New York Times

Debates

• Sparks fly in first U.S. House debate (video), Jonathan Ellis, Argus Leader, August 12, 2010, includes full video (1:29:40) at the Sioux Empire Fair (1st debate)
• Kristi Noem says no to school vouchers, Jonathan Ellis, Argus Leader, August 14, 2010, at the Sioux Empire Fair (2nd debate)
• Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Kristi Noem debate health care legislation, Megan Luther, Argus Leader, August 18, 2010, includes full video (1:15:31) at Dakotafest (3rd debate)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Statewide Candidate List . sd.gov . 2010-09-30 . 2010-11-03 . 2010-11-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101116222249/http://www.sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/electvoterpdfs/2010/2010GeneralElectionCandidateList.pdf . dead .
2. Web site: Herseth Sandlin running for reelection - The Scorecard . Politico . 2010-08-21.
3. Web site: CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Obama campaign guru eyes House seat . Politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com . 2010-03-16 . 2010-08-21 . March 23, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100323032640/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/16/obama-campaign-guru-eyes-house-seat/ . dead .
4. Web site: Curd for Congress . www.curdforcongress.com . 4 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100115151326/http://www.curdforcongress.com/ . 15 January 2010 . dead . dmy-all .
5. Web site: Help Chris Make South Dakota Better!. Nelson For SD.
6. Web site: Yankton Press & Dakotan > Archives > News > S.D. Legislator Considers U.S. House . Yankton.net . 2009-09-04 . 2010-08-21.
7. Web site: It's Official: Thad Wasson Ends Congressional Campaign, Endorses Curd . Dakotavoice.com . 2010-01-07 . 2010-08-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100819214830/http://www.dakotavoice.com/2010/01/its-official-thad-wasson-ends-congressional-campaign-endorses-curd/ . 2010-08-19 . dead .
8. Web site: Yankton Press & Dakotan > Archives > News > Krebs Decides Against U.S. House Run . Yankton.net . 2009-11-12 . 2010-08-21.
9. News: Matthew . Murray . GOP Assails Sandlin Family Ties . 2010-07-26 . . 2011-03-07 . 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..
10. News: David . Montgomery . Noem targets Herseth Sandlin's lobbyist husband in heated House race . 2010-09-27 . . 2011-03-07 . 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..
11. News: Rapid City Journal Editorial Board . Sandlin's job no laughing matter . 2010-09-30 . . 2011-03-07 . Herseth Sandlin's claim that transparency and disclosure are adequate doesn't cut it. She should not be laughing off this legitimate concern..
12. Web site: Toplines - 2010 South Dakota House of Representatives Election - February 23, 2010 - Rasmussen Reports®. www.rasmussenreports.com.
13. Web site: Toplines - 2010 South Dakota House of Representatives Election - March 25, 2010 - Rasmussen Reports®. www.rasmussenreports.com.
14. Web site: Toplines - 2010 South Dakota House of Representatives Election - April 21, 2010 - Rasmussen Reports®. www.rasmussenreports.com.
15. Web site: Toplines - South Dakota House of Representatives Election - May 27, 2010 - Rasmussen Reports®. www.rasmussenreports.com.
16. Web site: Toplines - South Dakota House of Representatives Election - June 10, 2010 - Rasmussen Reports®. www.rasmussenreports.com.
17. Woster, Kevin. Poll: Herseth Sandlin gains back ground, but Noem still leads in House race, Rapid City Journal, July 9, 2010.
18. Web site: Rasmussen Reports.
19. News: Scott. Rasmussen. Election 2010: South Dakota House of Representatives. 2010-08-06. Rasmussen Reports. 2010-08-07. 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..
20. Web site: Election 2010: South Dakota House of Representatives. www.rasmussenreports.com.
21. Web site: Election 2010: South Dakota House of Representatives. www.rasmussenreports.com.
22. Web site: Nielson Brothers Polling. https://web.archive.org/web/20101028085033/http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/article/id/47076. dead. October 28, 2010.
23. News: Nate . Silver . FiveThirtyEight Forecasts South Dakota At Large District . 2010-10-20 . . 2010-10-24.
24. News: Montgomery. David. Noem cruises past Herseth Sandlin in campaign funding in U.S. House race. Rapid City Journal. October 22, 2010.
25. News: Campaign cash: South Dakota's 1st congressional district. The Washington Post. 9 November 2010.
26. Web site: 2010 South Dakota Official General Election Results: Statewide Candidates by County - November 2, 2010. South Dakota Secretary of State. 16 November 2024.