The Giant Killer

Maybe lost in all the euphoria last night was a race in South Dakota that, just a couple weeks ago, the GOP seemed to have little shot at winning.

IN SD’s sole, at-large congressional district, incumbent Democrat Stephanie Herseth Sandlin looked to be one of the few bright spots on the Blue Ledger. She wasn’t part of the classes of ’06, or ’08. She’d voted against Obamacare. In other words, Sandlin wasn’t exactly the kind of candidate Kos was ever going to get excited about — but her seat seemed safe. And as a young, articulate and attractive candidate, Sandlin was one of the rising stars of her party.

Until last night, when Kristi “The Giant Killer” Noem came along and won.

And Noem isn’t just any Plains State Republican. She’s a true-blue (red?) conservative and a Tea Party favorite. So much so, that she managed to knock Sandlin out of her seat. It’s a remarkable achievement. And now the GOP has a rising star in South Dakota, where once the Democrats had one.

Watch out — Noem is going places.