Game on in South Dakota. Who'll Run Against Tim Johnson?
By Erick Posted in 2008 — Comments (21) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The lefties will no doubt hate me for this, but let me just say it: it's time to mount a challenge to Senator Tim Johnson.
As Stuart Rothenberg noted, Johnson may be improving, but he has not been seen and has not been on the job. Johnson has not voted this year. He has not been to the Senate. As far as we know, he is disabled — of course we don't know, *he* has not been seen except in a few pictures on his Senate website. And anyone who dares to question any of this is attacked by the lefties who are using a stroke victim to cling to power in the Senate.
Were he to resign his seat, the Governor of South Dakota could appoint a Republican to replace him. So, he stays on. Perhaps he'll be rehabilitated enough to go back. Perhaps not. Either way, he shouldn't be given a free pass to re-election.
Read on . . .
It's no longer about his ability to recover. It's been eight months of no voting on the war, no voting on the budget, no voting on farm issues, no voting on issues affecting South Dakota.
It's about partisan politics. It's about the Democrats' need to cling, by one seat, to power in the Senate using a man who cannot even show up to work for his constituents.
As the Rapid City Journal editorialized in South Dakota:
[T]here have been no firm answers about how much longer South Dakota can expect to be without one-third of its voice in Washington, D.C.
The truth is that Sen. Johnson is an elected official, not a private citizen, and his election to that office comes with responsibilities to the public he serves. The people of South Dakota deserve to hear from Sen. Johnson - in person.
The lefties can scream all they want that we're unkind, but we know they'd do the same thing, or worse, if the shoe was on the other foot. Senator Johnson may yet recover. We do wish him well. But he's still a candidate. He's still a politician. He will either run for re-election, in which case we will mount a challenge and even call into question whether or not he is fit to run (if we could see him and hear from him, we'd know and this would not be a question), or he will not run for re-election, in which case it is an open seat and the GOP will mount a challenge to someone else.
Either way, the clock is ticking.
Game on in South Dakota. It's time to find a challenger.
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Game on in South Dakota. Who'll Run Against Tim Johnson? 21 Comments (0 topical, 21 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
The former Senate Majority Leader said that Republicans are “sad” and “desperate.”
It is sad, but in this this country today emotions override logic. I think the challenger is going to have to run against Johnson record and not mention his illness.
That article you linked to notes that the Dems have raised $1.2 million for Johnson's campaing, but they complain if the GOP tries to raise money for a challenger.
Daschle says "Tim's focus should be on recuperating."
EXACTLY.
But you can't have it both ways. Either retire and recuperate or run for another term in the Senate.
Let's take the worst case scenario that Johnson can't overcome his illness and is stuck in this current state for 20 more years. Is Dascle suggesting that Johnson continue to be a US Senator for 20 more years because it would be mean to run against him?
While you appear to apologize for your statement here, it is not malevolent or malicious. It is a matter of public policy and representation. Furthermore, it is an intellectual conclusion and not emotional. Is there anyone who truly believes Democrats have not also included this as a consideration in their election strategy?
No doubt, they will hate you for this since that is what they are best at. Rather than discuss the practical matter, their retort will speak to how heartless Republican's are to even speak of considering a candidate.
We pray for a quick and full recovery for Mr. Johnson. The business of representing the people of South Dakota and electoral politics is an entirely separate matter.
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"
Contributor to The Minority Report
The late great South Dakota Senator suffered a stroke with about two years left in his term and was invalided for the last two years and like Johnson did not show. He did not resign due to the presence of a Dem governor.
I don not believe they really care about Sen. Johnson. They will dump him the moment they relize there will an aggressive campaighn for his seat.
There was always going to be a battle for the seat (which I think we would have won regardless)and now they will play the pity card as long as they can then dump Sen. Johnson and go with another person. They have no guts or shame.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
Of course we will mount a challenge. Why make a public campaign questioning his health this early? Recruit a challenger and keep it quiet for as long as possible. Posts like this make it harder for us to maintain plausible deniability. Let the RC journal do the work for us.
“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15.”
-Ronald Reagan
You kinda have to go public to run for public office. The question isn't whether or not to go public. The question is when.
Democrats know this, too. They're just pandering when they say the things they say.
"Why make a public campaign questioning his health *this early*?"
I'm not questioning the strategy. I'm questioning the timing.
“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15.”
-Ronald Reagan
Because whenever it is done, the questioners will be attacked. Might as well get it out of the way now. It is a fair question.
I'm not sure about that. I agree timing matters. If Johnson is up and about this time next year then questioning his medical problems would be a valid issue and wouldn't turn people off like it may do now. If Johnson has a relapse or something and is hospitalized a month before the election then it doesn't even need to be brought up as it will be evident to everyone.
I completely agree that fund raising and campaigning should begin now. Heck, it should already be ongoing. Just don't bring up the medical issue as a reason to vote they guy out at this time.
There are already two candidates for this seat. One is a state representative and one is a businessman.
The real question is how long will Governor Rounds and Lt. Governor Daugaard wait if they are interested in the job.
PUC Dusty Johnson is also heralded in some circles as "a rising star in the Republican party."
My only take Johnson is that he LOOKS young ...
He was Governor Rounds top advisor before running for PUC.
*******
Oh and don't let Daschle fool you. He'll be the first in line for the Democratic primary.
Dusty Johnson has already gone public with his intentions not to run for Tim Johnson's seat. He is a big rising star in the state as a Republican. He has attended our Lincoln Day dinner before. He is a really cool guy, but he is not running this time.
Right now the guy in the race is Joel Dykstra. Here is a piece from The Hill on him and the Senate Race.
South Dakota state Rep. Joel Dykstra (R) has officially entered the race for the Republican nomination to face Sen. Tim Johnson (D) in 2008.
Dykstra filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday and declared himself a “candidate for U.S. Senate.”
There is another candidate on the race, and there will have to be a primary, but Rep. Dykstra is running way ahead of him so far.
Wubbies World, MSgt, USAF (Retired):
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("An argument is a sequence of statements aimed at demonstrating the truth of an assertion.); }
The lefties can scream all they want that we're unkind, but we know they'd do the same thing, or worse, if the shoe was on the other foot.
Of course they'd do worse. And they'd do it without any thought about whether it sounds crass or not.
George W. Bush: He's A Folder ... Not A Fighter.
Senator Johnson has done much more for this country than the rest of the Dems by doing nothing while recuperating. God Bless Johnson in his recovery but if you can't get back to work in a reasonable amount of time there should be some time limit and procedure to get someone in there that can. This is taxpayer money and people need to be represented or lets send everyone home from Washington if it doesn't matter(a dream of mine). This is different from the private sector where companies can make their own policies.
Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. Washington Elected Elite
...that he will be returning to the Senate in September , right after the August recess. The most current news is that he has been recovering in his Fairfax Virginia home and he is returning to South Dakota this month. He is making plans to rejoin the Senate in September after the recess.
That is all that is known right now. Imagine that, he will be back in time to support the Democrat plans to to cut and run, and undermine FISA. I hope not, but I expect it.
Wubbies World, MSgt, USAF (Retired):
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("An argument is a sequence of statements aimed at demonstrating the truth of an assertion.); }
a disabled man, and until he actually speaks in public, and starts to do his job, he is essentially disabled.
But the voters also deserve to have a representative, and as sad as his situation is, it shouldn't give him a free pass to hold a seat he can't actually do the job for.
The GOP is within its rights to run a candidate who can do the job.
The dems either need to get Johnson on the campaign trail, or encourage him to retire, and have some other democrat run for the seat, but the GOP shouldn't take a pass on running a challenger, because Johnson is disabled.
Of course there will be the "bully" stories of the mean GOP attacking a disabled man. I bet the people will see right through it however and that is sure to backfire on Dems. REPS should not be intimidated by the situation as long as they handle it with respect to Johnson of course.
Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. Washington Elected Elite
Dems saw nothing "unkind" about turning that funeral into a vulgar campaign rally for Mondale.