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A Perfect Storm

A Case Study Analysis of the Defeat of Tom Daschle by John Thune in the 2004 South Dakota Senate Race

University of South Dakota

Not unlike the causes of a massive meteorological event, several factors played into the "perfect storm" that unseated Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in the 2002 South Dakota senatorial election. This multipronged case study analysis of the Daschle/Thune Senate race explores why John Thune won the state of South Dakota and thus became the first Senate candidate in 52 years to unseat a majority or minority leader. First, a content analysis of the political ads aired by each candidate is presented. Second, stories concerning Daschle and Thune from the state’s two largest newspapers are content analyzed to determine the framing or agenda-setting relationship of news stories. Finally, the study reports the effects of viewing the Thune/Daschle debate that took place on September 19, 2004. Results suggest that Thune may have captured the seat due to a culmination of factors, including campaign strategies, political ad strategies, and background electoral concerns.

Key Words: Daschle • Thune • South Dakota • Senate campaign

American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 49, No. 2, 326-342 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0002764205279431


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