2004 South Dakota's at-large congressional district special election
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County results Herseth: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Diedrich: 50–60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Elections in South Dakota |
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The 2004 South Dakota's at-large congressional district special election, which was held on June 1, 2004, was triggered by the January 20, 2004 resignation of Republican Representative
The special election was closely watched by both parties in an effort to gain momentum going into the 2004 House elections. The Hill committees of both parties spent a combined total of two million dollars on advertising in South Dakota.[2] This election was especially important considering that in November 2004, in addition to this House seat, also up for election was Democratic Senator and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, who was facing a tough race against John Thune, who had only lost his bid for South Dakota's other U.S. Senate seat in 2002 by 524 votes.
Herseth benefitted from her high name recognition from her previous run as well as her relation to the prominent
Herseth narrowly prevailed over Diedrich. The both of them won the regular primaries held on the same day as the special election, with Herseth winning a full term in November 2004 in a rematch with Diedrich. Some Democrats claimed this special election victory, as well as another one in Kentucky's 6th congressional district months earlier, were harbingers of major Democratic victories in November. However, instead Republicans expanded their majorities in both congressional chambers, net-gaining three House seats four Senate seats.
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
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Democratic | Stephanie Herseth
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132,420 | 50.57 | |||
Republican | Larry Diedrich | 129,415 | 49.43 | |||
Total votes | 261,835 | 100.00 | ||||
Democratic gain from Republican |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Kingsbury (Largest city: De Smet)
- Lake (Largest city: Madison)
- Marshall (Largest city: Britton)
- Miner (Largest city: Howard)
- Minnehaha (Largest city: Sioux Falls)
- Moody (Largest city: Flandreau)
- Grant (Largest city: Milbank)
- Brule (Largest city: Chamberlain)
- Sanborn (Largest city: Woonsocket) (previously tied)
- Spink (largest city: Redfield) (previously tied)
- Yankton (largest city: Yankton)
- Jackson (largest city: Kadoka)
See also
References
- ^ "Our Campaigns - SD At-Large - Special R Convention Race - Jan 23, 2004".
- ^ a b "South Dakota Politics". The Washington Post. Associated Press. November 24, 2004. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
- ^ http://www.sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/pastelections_electioninfo04_specialelectionreturns.shtm [dead link]