2008 South Dakota Senate
| pollster | date | spread |
|---|
| pollster | date | Dykstra | Johnson * | spread |
|---|
Johnson appears headed for a third term in the Senate, after the two Republicans thought to be his most competitive challengers -- Gov. Mike Rounds and former Lt. Gov. Steve Kirby -- decided against running. Johnson previously served 10 years in the House.
Shortly after the November 2006 elections, Johnson suffered a brain hemorrhage, requiring extensive surgery. He did not appear in the Senate again until September 2007, and his extended leave from the Senate left questions regarding his candidacy for re-election.
South Dakota has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1940, save the landslide 1964 election. However, Johnson, along with Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, remains extremely popular. He came close to losing re-election in 2002, when now-Sen. John Thune came within about 500 votes of defeating him.