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Pressler Enters US Senate Race

Kealey Bultena
/
SDPB

Former United States Senator Larry Pressler says he’s running for South Dakota’s open US Senate seat. He says he’s frustrated by the partisan methods in the nation’s capital, which he calls poisonous. Pressler announced his campaign in Sioux Falls as an independent candidate for the 2014 race.

"An independent is not necessarily a spoiler or an intruder. Our law allows for independents to run with a certain number of signatures, which are fairly hard to get, and a certain process," Pressler says. "And I feel that I want to be a spoiler of the system in Washington, DC. And I want very much to have a good Senate race with debates with real issues, a contested Senate race, not an uncontested race."

Republican Larry Pressler lost his seat as a United States Senator from South Dakota nearly two decades ago to Democratic Senator Tim Johnson. Johnson announced he isn’t running in 2014, and five candidates want to go to Washington in his place. Make that six; Pressler says he wants to represent South Dakota again, this time as an independent. He acknowledges triggering change is difficult for an individual, but he claims his independent status would give South Dakota an edge in the district.

"One is free to join these gangs of six or eight that they now have in the Senate and to work on some of these big budgetary problems. If you’re in the caucus, and I was chairman of the committee, you’re pretty much obligated to stick with your party on basic votes, on budgetary votes, on national defense matters," Pressler says.

Pressler is 71 years old. He says he challenges people concerned his time has passed to a five mile run, which he says he took Thursday morning. Pressler says he worries less now than when he was younger, and people don’t have to worry about him aspiring to career politician status.

"Personally, I’ve already been there, done that. I can live with or without it. I could go into my retirement very happily, but I want to serve," Pressler says.

The independent candidate says he’s officially committed to only one term in the Senate, and he pledges to do no fundraising work while in office for the six-year term.

Pressler joins Democrat Rick Weiland in campaigning, and Republicans Mike Rounds, Stace Nelson, Annette Bosworth and Larry Rhoden are also in the race.

Kealey Bultena grew up in South Dakota, where her grandparents took advantage of the state’s agriculture at nap time, tricking her into car rides to “go see cows.” Rarely did she stay awake long enough to see the livestock, but now she writes stories about the animals – and the legislature and education and much more. Kealey worked in television for four years while attending the University of South Dakota. She started interning with South Dakota Public Broadcasting in September 2010 and accepted a position with television in 2011. Now Kealey is the radio news producer stationed in Sioux Falls. As a multi-media journalist, Kealey prides herself on the diversity of the stories she tells and the impact her work has on people across the state. Kealey is always searching for new ideas. Let her know of a great story! Find her on Facebook and twitter (@KealeySDPB).