![Republicans in Washington have begun pulling money budgeted for the U.S. Senate candidate in South Dakota—an apparent sign of confidence—while national Democrats continue pumping money into the contest.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/dentonfracking/20141029184409im_/http://rhrealitycheck.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Mike_Rounds_official_photo-375x250.jpg)
Republicans in Washington have begun pulling money budgeted for the U.S. Senate candidate in South Dakota—an apparent sign of confidence—while national Democrats continue pumping money into the contest. (Office of Governor Mike Rounds)
Republicans in Washington have begun pulling money budgeted for the U.S. Senate candidate in South Dakota—an apparent sign of confidence—while national Democrats continue pumping money into the contest.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) says it plans to cancel almost $350,000 in ad spending for South Dakota’s Republican Gov. Mike Rounds, who is running an unusual race against three other candidates, as Manu Raju reported for Politico.
Rounds has a history of supporting and advocating for some of the most extreme anti-choice laws and regulations in the country. Rounds in 2006 signed into law what was then among the most sweeping anti-choice pieces of legislation, making it a felony to perform an abortion except if the pregnant person’s life is in danger.
Rounds called the anti-choice law a way to defend the “vulnerable and most helpless” members of society. The law was then overturned by South Dakota voters in a statewide referendum.
Recent polling has given him at least a nine-point lead against his opponents.
The NRSC had originally budgeted as much as $2 million for South Dakota—which at one point appeared to be a close race—and had already spent about $1.6 million on the race before deciding it could slow down the influx of campaign cash.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has not indicated any plans to pull money from its advertisements backing Democratic candidate Rick Weiland.
Weiland has only 33 percent of the vote, while Rounds holds 42 percent, according to a recent poll by Argus Leader. Independent candidates Larry Pressler and Gordon Howie have 13 and 2 percent of the vote, respectively.
Democratic candidate Weiland has voiced distaste over the ads funded by the DSCC and tried to distance himself from them, saying that they hit below the belt.
“They make me, as the Democratic candidate, look like a dirty campaigner,” he said.