By Denise Ross

Before I get to some of the details from Monday’s field hearing in Rapid City, let’s ponder something that none of use could have imagined back in 2002 — that a Sen. John Thune and a Sen. Tim Johnson would sit side-by-side working on an issue together. That’s what happened at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City.

(Photos by Denise)

Forgive my poor photo editing, but I did not get a photo in which they both looked good, so I cropped 2 shots. Mr. Hoghouse, my staff photographer, had to report to his paying job on Monday so I was on my own.

As you can read from the background panel, the field hearing was about “transforming forest waste to biofuels,” which does seem like a common sense thing to do. I did not attend the entire hearing, but while I was there I heard no objections to the idea.

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By Denise Ross

If you’ve had your television on this week, you’ve seen the second ad from the re-election campaign of Sen. Tim Johnson, D-SD.

As I noted last week and another of my blogosphere colleagues noted this week, these ads seem to be raising questions with voters. Given that Johnson’s speech, as he recovers from a brain injury, remains thick, would it be better to pair these ads with debates or town hall meetings?

Steve Jarding and Co. have access to all the polling and focus group data, and I’ve no doubt they have a well thought-out plan. But you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Absent the continuing recovery, this would be a text-book campaign schedule - roll out the warm, fuzzy ads in August. Given the senator’s continuing recovery, these ads are getting attention from voters, just not the kind of attention they’re designed to - at least in some cases.

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By Denise Ross

Sure, Sen. Tim Johnson’s speech is thick and sometimes halting. We’ve gotten used to that, due largely to his campaign’s willingness to take the issue on directly and not try to pretend like everything’s A-OK on that front.

However, simply continuing to repeat the statement, “My speech isn’t 100 percent, but I’m getting better,” in scripted, controlled settings is not enough to deal with questions voters have - and believe me, they do have them - about his recovery from a brain injury.

Johnson needs to prove that his brain did not slow down with his speech - and believe me, his brain did not slow down. While I was reassuring  a concerned voter that his mental acumen remains intact, it dawned on me.

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By Denise Ross

If you’ve been looking for Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., on the campaign trail this summer, you might have been disappointed. Our two-term senior senator hasn’t been terribly high profile yet.

But he showed up in the Hoghouse e-mail Monday, courtesy of one of these new-fangled netroots communiques, in the form of a TV ad - that I could help pay for. Yippee! (Sorry, Jarding. The Hoghouse doesn’t roll that way. We do, however, accept donations. See button at right.)

Here’s the video, with the full communique to follow:

Here are highlights from Steve Jarding’s e-mail, with the full message on the jump:  

Dear Friend, (wow, that’s not how e-mails from campaign managers usually start out.) …

This is a critical milestone in our campaign and our chance to convince voters why they need to send Tim back to the U.S. Senate. This milestone — for Tim and for the campaign — would not have been possible without your support over the years and throughout his recovery. (I’m feelin’ the sunshine.) …

Since his return, Tim has not missed a single vote, and he has sponsored or cosponsored 140 pieces of legislation. He continues to use his powerful and senior positions on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Indian Affairs Committee, and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, to deliver important legislation and critical funding for South Dakota. (Get used to hearing this.)

Since the e-mail offers fans of Tim the opportunity to pay for the ad, I doubt we’ll see it on TV for at least another month. According to ActBlue, they’ve raised $670 from 13 people at the time of this post. South Dakota is a cheap media market, but they’ve still got a ways to go.

Read Jarding’s full message by clicking CLICK HERE below.

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By Denise Ross

What’s a US Senator to do when gas prices hit prices that are not only record highs but that seemed impossible during their last election campaigns?

Since the price of gas is, short of some serious hearings and legislation, not directly within their sphere of influence, a senator is left to express a bit of I-feel-your-pain and then move on to the blaming portion of the program.  (Not blaming SUV-driving voters, however. That would be imprudent.)

During calls with reporters Wednesday, both Sen. Tim Johnson, D-SD, and Sen. John Thune, R-SD, acknowledged the pain and placed some blame, with the villians being identified as the Bush administration, oil companies and their profits, Congress and OPEC countries.

Said Johnson:

$4 gas would be devastating for the people of SD, with the agriculture and tourism industries getting hit extra hard. I will continue to support ethanol and cellulosic ethanol and wind energy. That is a long-term agenda.

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