David Kranz says Scott Heidepriem and Stephanie Herseth are leading contenders for governor:
Scott Heidepriem’s Nov. 7 state Senate victory and abrupt elevation to Democratic leader status quickly raised him to top contender status on the Democratic Party rolls.
Whether she is agreeing to this or not, a good many Democrats are putting credence in a possible bid for chief executive by U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth in 2010. New-found majority status for the U.S. House Democrats might give her a stronger foundation for growing influence in that body, but too many people back home want her to take a look-see.
Most of the high-powered staff surrounding Herseth dismiss the idea as not being an option at this time, but those who push the idea talk about her family history. The governorship is in the Herseth family, and at some point, she will want to travel that avenue, too. Grandfather Ralph Herseth was governor from 1959-61, and her father, Lars Herseth, ran a close but unsuccessful race against George Mickelson in 1986.
Former Sen. George McGovern has long articulated to Democrats the need for this chair to be a priority, saying, “If you don’t have the governorship, you can’t build the party.”
Doubters about a Herseth race in 2010 wonder whether she would be playing gubernatorial cards too soon.
Plain and simple: Don’t rule out a third-generation Herseth for Governor campaign sooner than one would have thought.
If she does vacate the House seat, it is a no-brainer that Brendan Johnson, son of
Sen. Tim Johnson, would have no trouble getting the Democratic nomination and would be a credible candidate from the beginning. The question, though, is whether he is ready to begin his political career.
More thoughts from SDWC.
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