| The state of South Dakota has three | | | | state House of Representatives and |
| branches of government: executive, | | | | Senate. Additionally, all but one of the |
| legislative, and judicial. | | | | statewide elected constitutional |
| The current governor is Mike Rounds. | | | | officers are Republicans. |
| Currently, there are 35 members of the | | | | Tom Daschle served South Dakota as its |
| state Senate and 70 members of the House | | | | sole Congressman from for eight years |
| of Representatives. The state is | | | | prior to his 1986 election to the U.S. |
| comprised of 35 legislative districts. | | | | Senate. Daschle was a primary figure |
| Voters elect 1 senator and 2 | | | | among Senate Democrats throughout his |
| representatives from each district. The | | | | career in the legislative body. In 1995, |
| legislature meets once a year on the | | | | after being sidelined to the minority in |
| second Tuesday in January, and also if | | | | the 1994 midterm elections, selected |
| the governor calls a special session. | | | | Daschle, after only eight years in the |
| The state Supreme Court is the highest | | | | Senate, to be the Senate Minority |
| court in South Dakota and the court of | | | | Leader. In 2001, when Democrats regained |
| last resort for state appellate actions. | | | | control of the chamber, Daschle became |
| The chief justice and four justices | | | | Senate Majority Leader for the first |
| comprise the South Dakota Supreme Court. | | | | time in his career. Daschle served as |
| South Dakota is divided into seven | | | | Majority Leader from 2001 to January |
| judicial circuits. There are 38 circuit | | | | 2003, the first two years of the Bush |
| judges serving in the seven circuits. | | | | presidency. Daschle became Minority |
| Circuit courts are the state's trial | | | | Leader again when Democrats lost control |
| courts of general jurisdiction. There | | | | of the Senate in the 2002 midterm |
| are 12 full-time and 3 part-time | | | | elections. In his decade-long career as |
| magistrate judges in the seven circuits. | | | | the Senate Democratic Leader |
| Magistrate courts assist the circuit | | | | (1995-2005), Daschle made himself |
| courts in disposing of misdemeanor | | | | extremely well-known nationally and |
| criminal cases and minor civil actions. | | | | emerged as a fixture of South Dakota |
| These courts of limited jurisdiction | | | | politics for more than a quarter |
| make the judicial system more accessible | | | | century. In 2004, Daschle lost his |
| to the public by providing a means of | | | | Senate seat to Republican former U.S. |
| direct court contact for the average | | | | Congressman John Thune who defeated |
| citizen. | | | | Daschle by a narrow 51%-49% margin. |
| Federal government representation is | | | | Daschle was the first Senate party |
| currently serviced by Senator Tim | | | | leader in 52 years to lose re-election |
| Johnson, Senator John Thune, and | | | | to his own Senate seat. |
| Representative Stephanie Herseth. | | | | South Dakota has a history of replacing |
| South Dakota politics are generally | | | | powerful members of the Senate. Former |
| dominated by the Republican Party, and | | | | Commerce Committee Chairmam Larry |
| the state has not supported a Democratic | | | | Pressler lost to then-Congressman Tim |
| presidential candidate since 1964 - | | | | Johnson in 1996, and 1972 Democratic |
| especially notable when one considers | | | | Presidential nominee George McGovern was |
| that George McGovern, the Democratic | | | | defeated by Senator James Abdnor in |
| nominee in 1972, was from South Dakota. | | | | 1980. Abdnor was, in turn, defeated by |
| In 2004, George W. Bush won the state's | | | | Daschle. |
| three electoral votes with 59.9% of the | | | | It should be noted, however, that in the |
| vote. However, this margin was slightly | | | | 2006 midterm elections, an abortion ban |
| lower than his 60.3% in 2000. | | | | approved by the state legislature was |
| There are only five reliably Democratic | | | | overturned by referendum; 56% of the |
| counties in the state - most of them | | | | electorate voted to overturn what was |
| with primarily American Indian | | | | generally considered a direct challenge |
| populations. Republicans have won the | | | | to Roe v. Wade. Additionally, a medical |
| last seven gubernatorial elections and | | | | marijuana initiative failed and a |
| have controlled the legislature, with | | | | same-sex marriage amendment passed by a |
| one brief interruption, for over thirty | | | | perhaps surprisingly low 52%-48% margin |
| years. Democrats, however, have been | | | | in both cases. Some have taken this as a |
| successful in winning election to | | | | sign that South Dakota is more |
| Congress from South Dakota, including | | | | politically divided than is commonly |
| former Senators Tom Daschle, James | | | | assumed. |
| Abourezk and George McGovern; current | | | | In fact, the state is divided, |
| Senator Tim Johnson; and current | | | | culturally and politically, by the |
| Representative Stephanie Herseth. | | | | Missouri River, which bisects the state. |
| While President Bush received a lower | | | | The area east of the Missouri River (or |
| vote percentage in 2004 than he did in | | | | "East River"), is generally more |
| 2000, he still received a very strong | | | | moderate, with views that are more in |
| 60% of the popular vote. Part of the | | | | line with those found in its Midwestern |
| deviation had to do with record turnout | | | | neighbors Iowa and Minnesota. "West |
| driven by the intense Senate campaigns | | | | River," however, is more conservative, |
| that year. Republicans hold a 9% | | | | with views that are generally more in |
| registration advantage over Democrats | | | | line with those found in its western |
| and hold large majorities in both the | | | | neighbors Montana and Wyoming. |