Make up your mind, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin:

Last week, we examined whether Max Sandlin’s job as a lobbyist would be something that Republicans try to exploit, like they did in the 2004 Daschle/Thune contest. Herseth Sandlin emphatically said that her husband should not be attacked in the campaign.

I didn’t know it at the time, but Max Sandlin already had jumped into the battle by sending out a fundraising letter on behalf of his wife.

A couple of thoughts here:

• I agree with Jim Geraghty: if Sandlin wants to participate in his wife’s campaign, that’s perfectly fine… and so is bringing up the fact that old Max is one of those evil, evil lobbyists that the Democrats like to demonize so.
• I somehow suspect that calling Kristi Noem “South Dakota’s Sarah Palin” is not precisely the best way to persuade South Dakotan voters to not vote for her.
• Author of this op-ed Jonathan Ellis is uncertain why the Herseth-Sandlin campaign is trying this track.  That’s easy: very unsurprisingly, the incumbent’s polling has cratered since the primary.  Herseth-Sandlin’s best chance is to get the hits in early, demonize away for as much money as possible, and assume that Democratic donors will be indifferent to troublesome contradictions.  Which, to be fair, is a good assumption to make about Democratic donors.

Moe Lane

PS: Kristi Noem for Congress.

Crossposted to Moe Lane.