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2014 United States Senate election in South Dakota

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The 2014 United States Senate election in South Dakota took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of South Dakota, concurrently with the election of the Governor of South Dakota, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. This was one of the seven Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state that Mitt Romney won in the 2012 presidential election.

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2014 United States Senate election in South Dakota

 2008
November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)
2020 
 
Nominee Mike Rounds Rick Weiland Larry Pressler
Party Republican Democratic Independent
Popular vote 140,741 82,456 47,741
Percentage 50.37% 29.51% 17.09%

Rounds:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Weiland:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Pressler:      30–40%
Tie:      30–40%      40–50%

U.S. senator before election

Tim Johnson
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Mike Rounds
Republican

Close

Incumbent Democratic Senator Tim Johnson decided to retire instead of running for re-election to a fourth term in office. As a result, this was the first open seat election since 1978. Former South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds won the open seat, giving South Dakota an all-GOP congressional delegation for the first time since 1963 and giving Republicans control of both of South Dakota's Senate seats for the first time since 1987.

Businessman Rick Weiland ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Also running were two independent candidates: former Republican U.S. Senator Larry Pressler, who held this seat from 1979 to 1997, and former Republican state senator Gordon Howie.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

  • Kevin Artz, businessman[2][3][4]
  • Henry Jo Sinkie, rancher and resort owner[2][5]

Declined

Endorsements

Rick Weiland

Politicians

Organizations

Polling

Hypothetical polling
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Brendan
Johnson
Stephanie Herseth
Sandlin
Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 390 ± 5% 16% 68% 16%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steve
Jarding
Brendan
Johnson
Rick
Weiland
Undecided
Nielson Brothers Polling[22] October 2–6, 2013 282 ± 5.84% 6.6% 30.7% 10.1% 52.7%
Close

Results

Weiland faced no opposition in the Democratic primary.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Endorsements

Stace Nelson
  • Blaine "Chip" Campbell, state representative[35]
  • Gordon Howie, radio host, former State Senator and candidate for Governor in 2010[35]
  • Dan Kaiser, state representative[35]
  • Elizabeth May, state representative[35]
  • Lance Russell, state representative[35]
Larry Rhoden
Mike Rounds

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Annette
Bosworth
Stace
Nelson
Larry
Rhoden
Mike
Rounds
Undecided
Harper Polling[39] September 4–5, 2013 252 ±6.17% 6% 8% 7% 58% 22%
Nielson Brothers Polling[22] October 2–6, 2013 410 ± 4.84% 2.7% 10.4% 3.9% 46.1% 37%
Public Opinion Strategies[40] April 8–10, 2014 500 ± 4.38% 8% 14% 7% 61% 9%
Close
Hypothetical polling
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Kristi
Noem
Mike
Rounds
Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 501 ± 4.4% 39% 43% 17%
Close

Results

Results by county
  Rounds
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  Rhoden
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  Nelson
  •   40–50%
  •   70–80%
More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican primary results[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Rounds 41,377 55.54%
Republican Larry Rhoden 13,593 18.25%
Republican Stace Nelson 13,179 17.69%
Republican Annette Bosworth 4,283 5.75%
Republican Jason Ravnsborg 2,066 2.77%
Total votes 74,490 100.00%
Close

Independents and third parties

Candidates

Declared

Disqualified

  • Clayton Walker (Independent), small business consultant and Democratic candidate for state representative in 2010[45][46]

Withdrew

General election

Campaign

Rounds was widely seen as the front runner throughout the campaign.[49] However, he faced ongoing criticism on the election trail for his possible involvement with the State's ongoing EB-5 visa investigation, concerning the conflict of interest that Rounds' administration had when administering the EB-5 program. State officials misused funds to pay for their salaries, did not disclose that they owned companies which they gave contracts to, directed money towards companies that went bankrupt and arranged for loans from unknown sources from shell companies located in tax havens.[50][51][52] In October 2014, Rounds admitted that he had approved a $1 million state loan to meat-packing company Northern Beef shortly after learning that Secretary of Tourism and State Development Richard Benda had agreed to join the company, with Benda then getting another $600,000 in loans that was ultimately used to pay his own salary.[53][54] Benda committed suicide in October 2013, days before a possible indictment over embezzlement and grand theft charges.[55]

Columnist Jonathan Ellis of the Argus Leader called Rounds' fundraising "anemic" compared to the amount of outside money coming into the state on Weiland's side, and criticized the entire Rounds campaign as "more suited for sheriff of Mayberry County than U.S. Senate."[56]

Debates

Predictions

More information Source, Ranking ...
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[57] Lean R (flip) November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[58] Likely R (flip) November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[59] Likely R (flip) November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[60] Likely R (flip) November 3, 2014
Close

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Rick
Weiland (D)
Mike
Rounds (R)
Larry
Pressler (I)
Gordon
Howie (I)
Other Undecided
Nielson Brothers Polling[61] June 10–14, 2013 500 ± 4.4% 27% 54% 19%
Harper Polling[62] September 4–5, 2013 517 ± 4.31% 38% 52% 10%
Nielson Brothers Polling[22] October 2–6, 2013 818 ± 3.43% 35% 50% 15%
Public Policy Polling[63] October 10–13, 2013 882 ± 3.3% 34% 40% 11%[64] 15%
Rasmussen Reports[65] February 25–26, 2014 500 ± 4.5% 31% 51% 6% 11%
Public Policy Polling^[66] April 30 – May 1, 2014 745 ± 3.6% 28% 38% 15% 4% 15%
SurveyUSA[67] May 6–10, 2014 504 ± 4.5% 30% 44% 17% 3% 2%[68] 5%
Rasmussen Reports[65] June 4–5, 2014 750 ± 4% 29% 44% 18% 2% 7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[69] July 5–24, 2014 631 ± 4.5% 34% 59% 3% 5%
Clarity Campaign Labs^[70] July 16–23, 2014 3,837 ± 1.44% 24% 34% 10% 3% 29%
Nielson Brothers Polling[71] July 23–28, 2014 578 ± 4.04% 30% 43% 14% 4% 9%
Public Opinion Strategies*[72] August 11–13, 2014 500 ± 4.38% 24% 49% 15% 4% 7%
Public Policy Polling^[73] August 12–13, 2014 726 ± 3.6% 31% 39% 16% 5% 9%
Public Policy Polling^[74] August 27–28, 2014 709 ± 3.7% 33% 39% 17% 4% 7%
42% 45% 13%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[75] August 18 – September 2, 2014 526 ± 6% 29% 43% 6% 1% 21%
SurveyUSA[76] September 3–7, 2014 510 ± 4.4% 28% 39% 25% 3% 5%
42% 44% 3% 11%
ccAdvertising[77] September 22–23, 2014 1,769 ± ? 17% 39% 17% 27%
Public Opinion Strategies*[78] September 22–23, 2014 500 ± 4.38% 23% 41% 19% 4% 12%
Nielson Brothers Polling[79] September 21–25, 2014 647 ± 3.24% 26% 39% 24% 4% 7%
636 ± 3.27% 37.1% 45% 7% 10%
623 ± 3.3% 40% 39% 8% 13%
Public Policy Polling^[80] September 29–30, 2014 703 ± 3.7% 28% 35% 24% 8% 5%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[81] September 20 – October 1, 2014 382 ± 7% 27% 42% 12% 1% 17%
SurveyUSA[82] October 1–5, 2014 616 ± 4% 28% 35% 32% 3% 2%
47% 47% 3% 3%
39% 54% 3% 4%
Harper Polling[83] October 9–11, 2014 630 ± 3.9% 33% 37% 23% 5% 2%
Public Opinion Strategies*[84] October 18–20, 2014 500 ± 4.38% 24% 48% 16% 3% 9%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[81] October 16–23, 2014 527 ± 8% 25% 38% 17% 0% 21%
NBC News/Marist[85] October 19–23, 2014 730 LV ± 3.6% 29% 43% 16% 3% <1% 7%
990 RV ± 3.1% 28% 43% 16% 4% <1% 9%
Mason-Dixon[86] October 20–23, 2014 800 ± 3.5% 33% 42% 13% 2% 10%
SurveyUSA[87] October 21–26, 2014 611 ± 4% 32% 43% 19% 2% 4%
Rasmussen Reports[65] October 22–26, 2014 908 ± 3.5% 31% 45% 21% 3%
Monmouth University[88] October 24–27, 2014 429 ± 4.7% 31% 45% 19% 1% 4%
40% 48% 1% 11%
Close
Hypothetical polling

With Herseth Sandlin

More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Stephanie Herseth
Sandlin (D)
Kristi
Noem (R)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 1,069 ± 3% 48% 47% 5%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Stephanie Herseth
Sandlin (D)
Mike
Rounds (R)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 1,069 ± 3% 44% 49% 7%
Close

With B. Johnson

More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Brendan
Johnson (D)
Kristi
Noem (R)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 1,069 ± 3% 37% 49% 14%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Brendan
Johnson (D)
Mike
Rounds (R)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 1,069 ± 3% 32% 53% 15%
Close

With T. Johnson

More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Tim
Johnson (D)
Kristi
Noem (R)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 1,069 ± 3% 45% 49% 7%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Tim
Johnson (D)
Mike
Rounds (R)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling[21] March 18–19, 2013 1,069 ± 3% 41% 52% 7%
Close

With Weiland

More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Rick
Weiland (D)
Annette
Bosworth (R)
Other Undecided
Harper Polling[89] September 4–5, 2013 517 ± 4.31% 38% 36% 26%
Nielson Brothers Polling[22] October 2–6, 2013 815 ± 3.43% 38% 33% 30%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Rick
Weiland (D)
Stace
Nelson (R)
Other Undecided
Harper Polling[90] September 4–5, 2013 517 ± 4.31% 38% 40% 22%
Nielson Brothers Polling[22] October 2–6, 2013 815 ± 3.43% 36% 35% 30%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s)administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Rick
Weiland (D)
Larry
Rhoden (R)
Other Undecided
Harper Polling[91] September 4–5, 2013 517 ± 4.31% 35% 41% 23%
Nielson Brothers Polling[22] October 2–6, 2013 815 ± 3.43% 37% 32% 31%
Close
  • * Internal polling for the Mike Rounds campaign
  • ^ Internal polling for the Rick Weiland campaign

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
2014 United States Senate election in South Dakota[92]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike Rounds 140,741 50.37% +12.86%
Democratic Rick Weiland 82,456 29.51% −32.98%
Independent Larry Pressler 47,741 17.09% N/A
Independent Gordon Howie 8,474 3.03% N/A
Total votes 279,412 100.00% N/A
Republican gain from Democratic
Close

By county

More information County, Rick Weiland Democratic ...
County[92] Rick Weiland
Democratic
Mike Rounds
Republican
Larry Pressler
Independent
Gordon Howie
Independent
Margin Total
# % # % # % # % # %
Aurora 355 30.76% 480 41.59% 259 22.44% 60 5.20% 125 10.83% 1,154
Beadle 1,622 28.69% 3,018 53.39% 810 14.33% 203 3.59% 1,396 24.69% 5,653
Bennett 341 36.67% 445 47.85% 110 11.83% 34 3.66% 104 11.18% 930
Bon Homme 785 32.28% 1,157 47.57% 408 16.78% 82 3.37% 372 15.30% 2,432
Brookings 3,195 34.37% 4,226 45.46% 1,662 17.88% 213 2.29% 1,031 11.09% 9,296
Brown 4,023 33.35% 5,382 44.62% 2,417 20.04% 240 1.99% 1,359 11.27% 12,062
Brule 451 25.52% 889 50.31% 346 19.58% 81 4.58% 438 24.79% 1,767
Buffalo 292 62.80% 105 22.58% 56 12.04% 12 2.58% -187 -40.22% 465
Butte 539 16.78% 1,910 59.45% 572 17.80% 192 5.98% 1,338 41.64%[a] 3,213
Campbell 115 18.23% 414 65.61% 79 12.52% 23 3.65% 299 47.39% 631
Charles Mix 1,111 34.68% 1,511 47.16% 498 15.54% 84 2.62% 400 12.48% 3,204
Clark 394 25.42% 737 47.55% 361 23.29% 58 3.74% 343 22.13% 1,550
Clay 1,689 44.51% 1,433 37.76% 615 16.21% 58 1.53% -256 -6.75% 3,795
Codington 2,572 28.06% 4,605 50.23% 1,771 19.32% 219 2.39% 2,033 22.18% 9,167
Corson 368 39.74% 399 43.09% 109 11.77% 50 5.40% 31 3.35% 926
Custer 859 23.01% 2,107 56.44% 616 16.50% 151 4.05% 1,248 33.43% 3,733
Davison 1,582 26.02% 3,097 50.94% 1,227 20.18% 174 2.86% 1,515 24.92% 6,080
Day 989 40.97% 868 35.96% 493 20.42% 64 2.65% -121 -5.01% 2,414
Deuel 530 29.64% 847 47.37% 341 19.07% 70 3.91% 317 17.73% 1,788
Dewey 788 53.03% 457 30.75% 208 14.00% 33 2.22% -331 -22.27% 1,486
Douglas 205 15.43% 877 65.99% 187 14.07% 60 4.51% 672 50.56% 1,329
Edmunds 422 24.28% 947 54.49% 326 18.76% 43 2.47% 525 30.21% 1,738
Fall River 674 22.94% 1,587 54.02% 510 17.36% 167 5.68% 913 31.08% 2,938
Faulk 180 20.18% 508 56.95% 175 19.62% 29 3.25% 328 36.77% 892
Grant 887 30.45% 1,405 48.23% 534 18.33% 87 2.99% 518 17.78% 2,913
Gregory 483 26.42% 996 54.49% 284 15.54% 65 3.56% 513 28.06% 1,828
Haakon 96 11.10% 563 65.09% 153 17.69% 53 6.13% 410 47.40%[a] 865
Hamlin 551 24.55% 1,191 53.07% 391 17.42% 111 4.95% 640 28.52% 2,244
Hand 341 22.75% 864 57.64% 240 16.01% 54 3.60% 523 34.89% 1,499
Hanson 365 27.06% 752 55.74% 165 12.23% 67 4.97% 387 28.69% 1,349
Harding 46 7.69% 371 62.04% 121 20.23% 60 10.03% 250 41.81%[a] 598
Hughes 1,573 22.63% 4,197 60.39% 1,058 15.22% 122 1.76% 2,624 37.76% 6,950
Hutchinson 575 20.65% 1,640 58.91% 494 17.74% 75 2.69% 1,065 38.25% 2,784
Hyde 128 21.16% 384 63.47% 72 11.90% 21 3.47% 256 42.31% 605
Jackson 269 29.27% 472 51.36% 133 14.47% 45 4.90% 203 22.09% 919
Jerauld 292 34.52% 361 42.67% 167 19.74% 26 3.07% 69 8.16% 846
Jones 66 14.25% 292 63.07% 72 15.55% 33 7.13% 220 47.52%[a] 463
Kingsbury 669 31.38% 1,026 48.12% 376 17.64% 61 2.86% 357 16.74% 2,132
Lake 1,862 38.01% 2,283 46.60% 637 13.00% 117 2.39% 421 8.59% 4,899
Lawrence 2,262 25.25% 4,793 53.50% 1,582 17.66% 322 3.59% 2,531 28.25% 8,959
Lincoln 4,218 24.83% 9,353 55.07% 3,005 17.69% 409 2.41% 5,135 30.23% 16,985
Lyman 361 29.09% 630 50.77% 194 15.63% 56 4.51% 269 21.68% 1,241
Marshall 693 39.51% 684 39.00% 360 20.52% 17 0.97% -9 -0.51% 1,754
McCook 561 27.19% 998 48.38% 418 20.26% 86 4.17% 437 21.18% 2,063
McPherson 173 16.78% 677 65.66% 154 14.94% 27 2.62% 504 48.88% 1,031
Meade 1,565 18.68% 4,910 58.62% 1,456 17.38% 445 5.31% 3,345 39.94% 8,376
Mellette 305 44.46% 252 36.73% 98 14.29% 31 4.52% -53 -7.73% 686
Miner 296 33.48% 405 45.81% 151 17.08% 32 3.62% 109 12.33% 884
Minnehaha 17,739 32.45% 25,771 47.15% 9,886 18.09% 1,266 2.32% 8,032 14.69% 54,662
Moody 833 34.46% 1,062 43.94% 447 18.49% 75 3.10% 229 9.47% 2,417
Pennington 8,244 24.45% 18,812 55.79% 5,439 16.13% 1,223 3.63% 10,568 31.34% 33,718
Perkins 242 18.02% 792 58.97% 208 15.49% 101 7.52% 550 40.95% 1,343
Potter 211 18.11% 758 65.06% 174 14.94% 22 1.89% 547 46.95% 1,165
Roberts 1,377 42.49% 1,326 40.91% 464 14.32% 74 2.28% -51 -1.57% 3,241
Sanborn 211 24.20% 407 46.67% 213 24.43% 41 4.70% 194 22.25%[a] 872
Shannon 2,277 81.47% 226 8.09% 252 9.02% 40 1.43% -2,025 -72.45%[a] 2,795
Spink 833 32.76% 1,151 45.26% 491 19.31% 68 2.67% 318 12.50% 2,543
Stanley 289 22.32% 803 62.01% 177 13.67% 26 2.01% 514 39.69% 1,295
Sully 115 16.79% 446 65.11% 102 14.89% 22 3.21% 331 48.32% 685
Todd 1,529 69.00% 407 18.37% 238 10.74% 42 1.90% -1,122 -50.63% 2,216
Tripp 506 22.99% 1,328 60.34% 300 13.63% 67 3.04% 822 37.35% 2,201
Turner 854 25.82% 1,701 51.44% 617 18.66% 135 4.08% 847 25.61% 3,307
Union 1,268 24.69% 3,150 61.34% 584 11.37% 133 2.59% 1,882 36.65% 5,135
Walworth 420 21.73% 1,213 62.75% 251 12.98% 49 2.53% 793 41.02% 1,933
Yankton 2,497 32.27% 3,663 47.34% 1,339 17.30% 239 3.09% 1,166 15.07% 7,738
Ziebach 293 46.36% 220 34.81% 90 14.24% 29 4.59% -73 -11.55% 632
Totals82,45629.51%140,74150.37%47,74117.09%8,4743.03%58,28520.86%279,412
Close

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Maps

See also

Notes

  1. Compares margin over Pressler.

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks