Government of South Dakota - Politics

Politics

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2008	54.30% 203,019	45.70% 170,886
2004	59.91% 232,584	38.44% 149,244
2000	60.3% 190,700	37.56% 118,804
1996	46.49% 150,543	43.03% 139,333
1992	40.66% 136,718	37.14% 124,888
1988	52.85% 165,415	46.51% 145,560
1984	63.0% 200,267	36.53% 116,113
1980	60.53% 198,343	31.69% 103,855
1976	50.39% 151,505	48.91% 147,068
1972	54.15% 166,467	45.52% 139,945
1968	53.27% 149,841	41.96% 118,023
1964	44.39% 130,108	55.61% 163,010
1960	58.21% 178,417	41.79% 128,070

See also: Political party strength in South Dakota

South Dakota politics are generally dominated by the Republican Party, and the state has not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 — especially notable when one considers that George McGovern, the Democratic nominee in 1972, was from South Dakota. In 2004, George W. Bush won the state's three electoral votes with 59.9% of the vote.

There are only five reliably Democratic counties in the state — most of them with primarily American Indian populations. Republicans have won the last seven gubernatorial elections and have controlled the legislature, with one brief interruption, for over thirty years. Democrats, however, have been successful in winning election to Congress from South Dakota, including former Senators Tom Daschle, James Abourezk and George McGovern; current Senator Tim Johnson; and former Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.

While President Bush received a lower vote percentage in 2004 than he did in 2000, he still received a very strong 60% of the popular vote. Part of the deviation had to do with record turnout driven by the intense Senate campaigns that year. Republicans hold a 10% registration advantage over Democrats and hold large majorities in both the state House of Representatives and Senate. Additionally, all but one of the statewide elected officers are Republicans.

In the more than a quarter century between 1979 and 2005, two politicians, one a Republican and one a Democrat, dominated South Dakota politics. Republican Governor Bill Janklow served four terms as governor 1979-1987 and then from 1995 to 2003 followed by a brief partial term as a United States Representative 2003-2004. Janklow's career was ended by a motor vehicle manslaughter conviction causing his resignation from Congress. Democrat Tom Daschle was also a dominant figure in South Dakota politics, serving in Congress, 1979-2005. He first served eight years in the United States House of Representatives and then eighteen years in the United States Senate after his senate election in 1986. Over a period of ten years, he served both as minority leader and majority leader in the Senate. In 2004, he lost his Senate seat to a Republican, former United States Representative John Thune, who narrowly defeated Daschle by a 51%-49% margin. Daschle became the first Senate party leader in 52 years to lose re-election to his own Senate seat.

South Dakota has a history of replacing powerful members of the Senate. Former Commerce Committee Chairmam Larry Pressler lost to Congressman Tim Johnson in 1996, and 1972 Democratic Presidential nominee George McGovern was defeated by Congressman James Abdnor in 1980. Abdnor was, in turn, defeated by Daschle in 1986.