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• Jon Schaff, a political science professor at Northern State University, said Weiland has been working very hard and visiting a lot of places, "and he seems to have a lot of passion for this." But Weiland's progressive platform will be a tough sell in conservative South Dakota, Schaff said.
• "He's a Democrat in a Republican state in what is looking to be a pretty Republican year," he said.
• Schaff said Weiland's fundraising has been better than expected, but the national Democrats have their hands full this year with about a dozen seats they have to vigorously defend.
• "The national party has only so much money, and there are races that are going to be perceived to be a much higher priority than this race," he said.
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SD GOP Senate candidates meet in first debate
CARSON WALKER, Associated Press
• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- The five South Dakotans vying for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate found common ground on most policy issues -- including their opposition to the president's federal health care law -- but also took a few personal shots at each other in their first debate in Pierre on Saturday.
• Former Gov. Mike Rounds, state Sen. Larry Rhoden, state Rep. Stace Nelson, attorney and Army Reserves Maj. Jason Ravnsborg, and physician Annette Bosworth all made their case for becoming the party's nominee at the annual convention of state newspaper editors.
• The June 3 primary winner will join Democrat Rick Weiland and independent Larry Pressler on the Nov. 4 ballot to fill the seat being vacated by the retiring Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson.
• Rounds is considered the front-runner in the race, which provides a prime opportunity for the GOP. Republicans need a net gain of six seats to control the Senate.
• Nelson, of Fulton, accused Rounds of not being a true fiscal conservative during his eight years as governor and of being beholden to the influence of out-of-state campaign money.
• Rounds, of Fort Pierre, said he has a lot of grass-roots support and must defend himself against attacks from outside groups.
• "Stace, you're the only guy that I know that has gotten kicked out of a Republican caucus for misbehavior," Rounds told Nelson in a reference to the state legislature's daily planning session.
• "I got thrown out of caucus by moderates," Nelson later countered.
• Personal criticisms aside, the five candidates generally agreed that the federal (Continued on page 15)
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