Herseth Sandlin: Noem Running Dishonest Campaign Designed to Mislead Voters

Holds Press Conferences in Sioux Falls, Rapid City to Expose Noem’s Series of Mailings That Lie to SD Voters

Deceptive Campaign Causes Voters to Question Whether They Can Trust Noem

October 25, 2010 – U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin held press conferences on each side of the state today, exposing Kristi Noem’s dishonest campaign, which is spreading lies to thousands of South Dakota voters.   

Herseth Sandin said, “Kristi Noem is running a dishonest campaign purposefully misleading voters about my record.  That’s unacceptable and indefensible.  South Dakota voters deserve better.”

Herseth Sandlin highlighted two recent mailers paid for and authorized by Kristi Noem, sent to South Dakota voters’ homes, one that misrepresents Herseth Sandlin’s record on guns, and another baseless attack about Ellsworth Air Force Base.  Herseth Sandlin said she had talked to numerous voters who were disappointed and offended by Noem’s deceptive mailers.

Herseth Sandlin added, “South Dakota voters don’t deserve to be lied to, and they don’t deserve our lone voice in Congress to be someone who will so easily put her own personal self-interest ahead of the truth or ahead of what’s best for the state.  If voters can’t trust what she says in campaign mailings, why should they trust she’ll put South Dakota first if she’s elected?  These two mailers clearly demonstrate that she’s reckless with the facts and she’s willing to lie about my record in her campaign. “

Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee said, "Action on the Defense Appropriations bill is far from complete.  I expect that there will be many changes in Subcommittee drafts before final decisions are actually made.  Suggestions that funding levels have been finally decided are misinformed and misleading.  The Appropriations Committee has made no final decisions, nor has the House.  And, in fact, I would be surprised if, in the end, the program in question is actually cut."

Jon Goodwin, Federal Liaison for the National Rifle Association said, "Stephanie Herseth Sandlin earned her 'A' rating and endorsement from the NRA-PVF by consistently supporting gun owners and hunters.  Anyone who says otherwise is trying to mislead South Dakota voters."

NRA

Noem sent out a mailing trying to fool voters into believing that she received the NRA endorsement and that Rep. Herseth Sandlin has an F rating from that group. However, the NRA has endorsed Herseth Sandlin in this race, not Noem, and given her an A rating. This mailer is so false and deceptive that the NRA condemned Kristi Noem’s mail piece and her deceptive attempts to convince South Dakotans that she had received the endorsement.   

B-1

Just last Saturday, South Dakota voters received another mailer from Kristi Noem falsely telling them that funding for the B-1 Bomber has been cut, and blaming Rep. Herseth Sandlin for the supposed "cut."  Noem cites an unreleased, unavailable leaked report as her source – but no such report has been made public and no such cut has been made.  Moreover, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee calls her claim "misinformed and misleading."  Noem's attempts to use Ellsworth Air Force Base for partisan political gain run in stark contrast to the acknowledgment of many, including Governor Rounds and Senator Thune, that we have been successful in advocating for EAFB precisely because the effort has been bipartisan.

###