2006 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota

The 2006 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota took place on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. Voters selected a representative for their single At-Large district, who ran on a statewide ballot.

2006 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota

← 2004 November 7, 2006 2008 →

Nominee Stephanie Herseth Bruce Whalen Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 230,468 97,864 Percentage 69.09% 29.34%

County results Herseth:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Whalen:      50–60%

U.S. Representative before election Stephanie Herseth Democratic Elected U.S. Representative Stephanie Herseth Democratic

Democratic incumbent Stephanie Herseth was challenged by Republican nominee Chairman of the Shannon County (now known as Oglala Lakota County) Republican Party Bruce Whalen. Neither candidate was opposed in the June 6, 2006 primary. George W. Bush won in this district 60% to 38% over John Kerry in 2004.

Herseth won all but one county in the state, that being Douglas County.

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[1]	Safe D	November 6, 2006
Rothenberg[2]	Safe D	November 6, 2006
Sabato's Crystal Ball[3]	Safe D	November 6, 2006
Real Clear Politics[4]	Safe D	November 7, 2006
CQ Politics[5]	Safe D	November 7, 2006

Results

Despite the strong performance of Republicans in many of the state elections held that year, including Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Rounds's 62%-36% victory over former state Representative Jack Billion, Herseth was nevertheless reelected by a landslide margin.

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2006^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Stephanie Herseth (incumbent)	230,468	69.09%
	Republican	Bruce W. Whalen	97,864	29.34%
	Libertarian	Larry Rudebusch	5,230	1.57%
Total votes			333,562	100.00%
	Democratic hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Faulk (largest city: Faulkton)
• McPherson (largest city: Eureka)
• Potter (largest city: Gettysburg)
• Walworth (largest city: Mobridge)
• Campbell (largest city: Herreid)
• Haakon (largest city: Philip)
• Harding (largest city: Buffalo)
• Jones (largest city: Murdo)
• Butte (largest city: Belle Fourche)
• Perkins (largest city: Belle Fourche)
• Meade (largest city: Sturgis)
• Fall River (largest city: Hot Springs)
• Lawrence (largest city: Spearfish)
• Pennington (largest city: Rapid City)
• Custer (largest city: Custer)
• Tripp (largest city: Winner)
• Gregory (largest city: Gregory)
• Hanson (largest city: Alexandria)
• Hutchinson (largest city: Parkston)
• Lincoln (largest city: Sioux Falls)
• Sully (largest city: Onida)
• Hughes (largest city: Pierre)
• Hyde (largest city: Highmore)
• Hamlin (largest city: Estelline)