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• House Speaker Val Rausch of Big Stone City failed in his bid to move to the Senate. Sen. Tim Begalka of Clear Lake won that contest with more than two-thirds of the vote.
• Begalka said voters resented the governor's interference in the legislative primary.
• "His meddling in the race, I think it kind of backfired," Begalka said.
• The governor's endorsements infused the legislative race with controversy as some said he'd endorsed candidates that were too liberal. Daugaard said he chose to back five candidates he believed had been effective legislators, particularly those who supported his plans to balance the state budget in the past two years.
• But for some, the choices weren't socially conservative enough. Allied with tea

party groups, critics said the governor should stay out of primary contests.
• Daugaard-endorsed candidates Sen. Tom Nelson of Lead and former lawmaker Mike Buckingham of Rapid City also lost. Nelson was defeated by Lawrence County Commissioner Bob Ewing of Spearfish, and Buckingham fell to Rep. Phil Jensen of Rapid City.
• Daugaard did endorse two apparent winners: Sen. Bruce Rampelberg of Rapid City over George Ferebee of

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