South Dakota voters fickle when it
comes to Senate longevity
By Gordon Garnos
AT ISSUE: Will
Senator Tim Johnson's battle of the blood hemorrhage spell his
retirement. His staff has said he is expected to return to his
office next month. While they continue to issue glowing reports of
his recovery, few South Dakotans are fully aware of what his actual
health issues are. We have been told that he still is getting
physical and speech therapy. However, no one that we know of has
heard him speak since that near-death stroke last December. Will he
be fully capable of resuming his duties as before? If not who may be
lurking in the wings for a chance at his job?
SOUTH DAKOTA
VOTERS have been charged with being fickle, especially when it
comes to electing a U. S. senator and keeping him or her in office
for a long duration. Fickle, meaning erratically changeable or
unstable. Because of this our state has not enjoyed many of our U.S.
senators gaining the seniority needed to get a lot of things that
would greatly benefit South Dakota.
Of course there have
been exceptions to this, but in comparison to many states,
especially those down south, we have remained pretty steady in
having "junior" senators, meaning those with fewer terms on the
Hill. Consequently, this seniority, or longevity, as a senator has
paid huge dividends for those states they represented.
Proof of the pudding
here is the fact that South Dakota has had 26 senators since
statehood in 1889. Ten of them were elected by our Legislature until
the federal law was changed in 1914. That allowed voters to directly
elect their senators. Of the 16 who have been elected directly by
the voters only five have been successful in being elected for more
than two terms.
KARL MUNDT WAS
the only U.S. Senator from South Dakota to win a fourth term.
Unfortunately, due to a stroke on Nov. 23, 1969, Senator Mundt was
unable to fulfill his duties for most of that fourth term, but left
it to his capable staff, as Senator Johnson is doing now.
Mundt's Senate seat
sat empty for more than three years. His wife refused to vacate the
seat despite pressure from the state's Republicans. Vacating the
seat would have allowed then Governor Frank Farrar, a fellow
Republican to appoint someone to complete Mundt's term. After two
years of being incapacitated, Mundt was stripped of his seniority
and Senate committee assignments. It is interesting to note that
this month is the 33rd anniversary of his death. He died in Aug. 16,
1974. He was succeeded in the Senate by James Abourezk who chose to
hold that office for only one six-year term.
I mention this
because if Democratic Senator Johnson would resign from the Senate
now because of his illness, his replacement would be made by
Republican Governor Rounds. That person would more than likely be a
Republican as well. This, of course, would upset the Democratic
apple cart in the Senate and the majority would then swing to the
Republican side. Johnson supporters say that isn't about to happen.
THE FICKLENESS OF
South Dakota voters was also revealed in 1992 when South Dakota
voters approved by a 63.5 percent Amendment A that set term limits
not only on elected state officials but on our U.S. senators and
representatives as well. However, the court threw out the
congressional term limits because the state's constitution had to
bow to the U.S. Constitution regarding members of the federal
Congress.
This rather lengthy
prologue leads us into the present quandary, if there is one, who
will replace Senator Johnson if he decides not to seek reelection?
Or, and that is a very big "Or," who will run against this incumbent
senator, if he decides to run again for that office? With the
various reelection fund raisers being held in his behalf it looks
like whomever runs will be running against an incumbent senator.
THE NAME OF
Governor Mike Rounds seems to jump up whenever the above discussion
needs fueling. At the same time, there are approximately 15
legislators, former legislators, others, etc. who have been waiting
in the wings for a nod for one higher office or another.
Senator Johnson's
term is up in 2008. Governor Rounds' term isn't up until 2010. Would
Rounds surrender the last two years of his final term as governor to
seek the Senate position? At the present time, at least publicly,
Rounds says he is content with his job with the obvious indication
he wants to complete his term in Pierre. However, in politics and
love, plans can change rather rapidly.
ARE THERE OTHERS?
Rounds will be term limited by 2010. But we understand
Republican Lt. Governor Dennis Daugaard has his campaign going for
Governor for the 2010 race. As I mentioned there are about 15 others
in the grab bag of potential candidates wanting higher office. I'm
almost positive that if Dogood, I mean Daugaard, gets a steam roller
going almost any one of them might be satisfied with an office in
Washington, or at least willing to try to get it.
Wešll try to get a
look at them in the next few weeks....
Gordon Garnos was long-time editor of the Watertown Public Opinion and
recently retired after 39 years with that newspaper. Garnos, a
lifelong resident of South Dakota except for his military service in the
U.S. Air Force, was born and raised in Presho.
