Thune Charges Into Lead

Tom Daschle has spent millions of dollars on television ads, beginning months before any campaign was otherwise underway. Only recently has John Thune begun his media campaign. But the latest South Dakota poll shows Thune with a two-point lead. There are a number of signs that the tide is turning against Daschle.
Daschle’s basic problem is that he can’t tell South Dakota’s voters anything they don’t already know. His whole career has been based on pork, not principle. But no matter how many millions of dollars Daschle spends, he can’t materially add to the pork factor. He’s already got that.
Meanwhile, Thune is running as a man of principle, and, as it happens, his principles match those of the majority of South Dakota voters far better than Daschle’s. Daschle can’t hide this fact by running ads showing him hugging President Bush.
Jon Lauck’s Daschle v. Thune is the place to go for information on what could be the year’s most important Senate race.