Tom and John slug it out

摘要

South dakota is known, if at all, for Mount Rushmore, "The Little House on the Prairie" series and George McGovern, a native son. But this year, says Ann Wagner, the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee, the only race people want to hear about is the Senate battle, between Tom Daschle, the Democratic incumbent, and John Thune, his Republican challenger. It is not merely that Mr Daschle is the only Democratic incumbent whose future is a toss-up, nor even that control of the Senate rests partly on the outcome. This race is the culmination of years of Republican attacks. Mr Daschle, as minority leader of the Senate, is the focus of Republican frustration at obstruction in the upper chamber. They talk of "Daschle Democrats" and complain of the "Daschle dead zone" into which their legislative initia- tives disappear. Mr Daschle's defeat has been a top priority for the Republicans.