South Dakota Presidential Primary Heating Up

From this morning's Argus Leader:

Who would win that primary today is anyone's guess.

Obama has South Dakota ties here with former Sen. Tom Daschle his co-chairman at the national level. Steve Hildebrand, a longtime strategist and campaign aide to candidates such as Vice President Al Gore and Daschle, plays a significant role for Obama. Clinton has the endorsement of former Sen. George McGovern, whom she worked for when he ran for president in 1972.

Like Obama, Clinton has not been here during this election cycle, but she spent much time in South Dakota in the 1992 and 1996 campaign trips when her husband was running for president. President Clinton's last campaign stop of his presidential career was in Sioux Falls in 1996.

When weighing chances of both candidates, it is becoming more obvious that, while Bill Clinton ignited controversy along the way during his wife's campaign, it oftentimes seemed like he is the Clinton that voters came to see.

That could play a role at some level here, too.

Consider a recent comment from Porter Williams, a prominent member of the black community, who is a Sioux Falls-area contractor, artist and Hillary Clinton supporter.

"Things were never so good when Bill Clinton was president," he said.

Because of his recall of that period, Williams will keep his vote in the Clinton family.

All that said, what South Dakotans need to know is they will be a part of the selection process, said Bob Burns, political science professor at South Dakota State University. "We matter," he said.