PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Democrats expect to be outspent by Republicans in this year’s election, but say they believe they can win races up and down the ticket by emphasizing issues that also will be on the ballot.
State Democratic Party Chairman Ben Nesselhuf said his party has spent 18 months developing a plan to target campaign spending in a way that will counter the GOP’s ability to raise more money in a heavily Republican state.
“They can go ahead and outspend us. That’s fine. We’re going to spend our money smarter,” Nesselhuf said Thursday.
South Dakota Democrats are gathering in Aberdeen this weekend for their state convention. They will hear a speech from Matt Varilek, the party’s candidate for South Dakota’s lone U.S. House seat, and will nominate candidates for two seats on the state Public Utilities Commission.
Republicans hold their state convention in Sioux Falls next week.
Democrats hope they’ll be helped by two ballot measures giving voters a chance to pass judgment on laws passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature. One sets aside money for grants to large construction projects. A plan to give bonuses to top teachers, establish scholarships to recruit teachers into critical fields and phase out teacher tenure also is expected to be referred by the South Dakota Education Association, which is collecting signatures to put it on the ballot.
Democrats opposed both measures, which were suggested by Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard. The minority party has argued the money in both measures should instead be spent to boost state aid to school districts.
State Rep. Bernie Hunhoff of Yankton, the House minority leader, said the governor’s plan to set aside money from a tax on construction to give grants to large construction projects will help Democratic candidates.
“That’s an issue that wasn’t put on the ballot for political reasons, but it does work for Democrats politically,” Hunhoff said.
But South Dakota Republican Party Chairman Tim Rave, a state senator from Baltic, said he believes voters will side with Republicans. The education measure seeks to give teachers $15 million a year, and the grants to large construction projects will encourage businesses to create jobs in the state, he said.
“We’ll get the party united, move forward to get our message out and let the voters decide and see where it goes,” Rave said.
Nesselhuf said the presidential race between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney is unlikely to get much attention in South Dakota, which last favored a Democratic presidential candidate in 1964, when Lyndon Johnson defeated Republican Barry Goldwater.
Nesselhuf said a quiet presidential campaign means the congressional race between Republican Rep. Kristi Noem and Varilek will get more attention.
Democrats in every race have to contend with the GOP’s advantage in registered voters. Republicans have nearly 46 percent of the state’s registered voters, Democrats have 36 percent, and independents account for more than 17 percent.
Hunhoff said voter registration numbers suggest Democrats should hold 36 percent of the seats in the Legislature, but they have only about 25 percent because Republicans have drawn legislative district boundaries that favor their party.
The House Democratic leader said he hopes his party also can gain seats in the Legislature this year. Democrats have recruited good candidates in districts where voter registration numbers are relatively close, he said.
In addition, the growing number of voters registered as independent is a good sign because many are likely to vote for Democratic candidates, Hunhoff said.
“They’re not satisfied with the status quo, and in South Dakota the status quo has been Republican domination for some 40 years,” Hunhoff said.
Hunhoff said he hopes voters realize more Democrats are needed in the Legislature so the two parties have to negotiate to produce better legislation.
Republicans now outnumber Democrats 30-5 in the state Senate, while the GOP has a 50-19 edge in the House, where one current representative is an independent affiliated with Republicans.
In Republican legislative primaries last week, some conservative GOP lawmakers were upset that Daugaard endorsed some candidates they considered too liberal. Two candidates backed by the Republican governor won, while three lost.
Rave said he doubts those primary disputes will hurt the party in the general election.
“I don’t really think there’s anything to patch up,” he said.
