Senator Johnson's Health Complicates Opponents' Hopes
Senator Tim Johnson, a Democrat from South Dakota, will be difficult to run against in 2008. That isn't because he's popular, or that his views, on the moderate to conservative side of the Democratic party, actually represent conservative South Dakota voters pretty well, although he is and they do. No, the main problem with running against him is he is still convalescing after a debilitating stroke at the beginning of the year. Barring another attack, he will probably be able to return to the Senate by early next year, but he will remain more physically frail than he used to be, and any opponents will be faced with the unfortunate situation of attacking a sick man.
While that is actually a grounds to run against him, to raise it as an issue will seem as cruel and insensitive as kicking a puppy, while to fail to do so will make any opponent look clueless and out-of-touch. Further, after Senator Johnson has struggled so valiantly to recover, he has become bulletproof...not literally, of course, but any attack ads against Johnson are likely to backfire horribly against any opponent.
Johnson's seat remains one of the most likely seats for a Republican pick-up in 2008. The question is, how does anyone run for it without seeming like a jerk? There's no easy answer to the question, and there may be no answer at all.
While that is actually a grounds to run against him, to raise it as an issue will seem as cruel and insensitive as kicking a puppy, while to fail to do so will make any opponent look clueless and out-of-touch. Further, after Senator Johnson has struggled so valiantly to recover, he has become bulletproof...not literally, of course, but any attack ads against Johnson are likely to backfire horribly against any opponent.
Johnson's seat remains one of the most likely seats for a Republican pick-up in 2008. The question is, how does anyone run for it without seeming like a jerk? There's no easy answer to the question, and there may be no answer at all.
