From Stateline.org:
By contrast, the Republicans have serious concerns only about Arizona, the three open seats in solidly Democratic territory (California, Hawaii and Rhode Island) plus Nevada, where first-term Gov. Jim Gibbons has gotten himself into a series of self-inflicted scrapes, and South Dakota, where a strong Democratic candidate, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, is planning an open-seat bid.
Hardly definitive, but this phrasing makes it sound pretty certain she’s going to run.
and obviously Obama’s 8 point loss, after abandoning the state, startled some observers. Herseth-Sandlin is a pretty strong candidate who I think would be heavily favored to be elected governor if she runs, but it will be a tough hold, but doable. I certainly like our odds there better than, say open seats in GOP parts of the South.
Was kind of hoping she would take on Thune though, otherwise he skates by.
It’s pretty much like Davis. Pretty much everyone assumes she will get in and she’s been planning to do that for quite awhile. Quite frankly, I’d be suprised if she doesn’t run.
It will be a tough hold, but possible. Obama only lost by 8 and barely campaigned there, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Tim Johnson are very popular and the GOP really doesn’t have a huge bench. As antikarlrove noted Johnson’s kids could both make runs (although it might seem a bit dynastic and they might replace their father instead in 6 years), also Scott Heidepriem would be a strong candidate IMO, partially beacuse he previously was a Republican.
If Herseth Sandlin does make a run I hope she also works hard to recuit and support legislative candidates, particularly for the state Senate. If we can pick up 4 seats in 2010 she’d have one chamber that would be friendly to her.