By Denise Ross

Wondering why Stephanie Herseth and Tim Johnson handily won re-election to Congress in November while their fellow Democrats further down ticket couldn’t muster a single legislative seat out of the Black Hills? There is a culprit: It’s Barack Obama.

That was one take-away message from the forum I moderated last Thursday night. (I know, I’m late with this. Sue me.) Obama did just a little too well in South Dakota, even though he ultimately lost the state to McCain and despite a total lack of an Obama campaign apperatus in the Rushmore State. It was the very idea that he might win here that rousted otherwise deflated Republicans to get out and vote. And defend South Dakota as a red state.

Those extra Republican votes played a key role in defeating Democratic legislative candidates out West, despite all their best efforts, Finch believes.

South Dakota turning purple in the final days of the campaign very well might have made the difference, concluded Dennis Finch, the Dems’ candidate for state Senate in District 33, which sort of wraps around the west, north and east sides of Rapid City (including a lot of Black Hawk and Ellsworth AFB). Finch mounted a rigorous door-to-door campaign, and he got the distinct sense that many Republicans would “sit this one out.”

But in the final days, Finch said he sensed a renewed energy amongst GOPers once reports that polls showed Obama just might win South Dakota. (That and some of them just loved Sarah Palin.) Finch lost to one-term incumbent Dennis Schmidt, who has earned a reputation for colorful, stream-of-concsiousness crackerbarrel speeches. (For those keeping score at home, this is the seat long held by JP Duniphan.)

While many of those Republicans must have crossed over to vote for Herseth and/or Johnson, they weren’t about to go for any more Dems, some of Thursday night’s panelists believe.

There’s a lot more analysis coming - including numbers, even, but baby’s waking up from his nap, so this will have to do for now. Discuss.

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