U.S. Senate candidate John Thune urged South Dakota Republicans on Saturday to reach out to Indian voters this year.

Thune told the Associated Press he would visit reservations in the state as part of his campaign. "We're trying to reach out and connect with folks we didn't last time," he was quoted as saying.

Thune spoke to Republicans as they picked their candidate for the special U.S. House election. "We have not spent the time down there to give [Indians] a reason to support us," he said.

Bruce Whalen, the GOP committee chairman for Shannon County, which encompasses parts of the Pine Ridge Reservation, said: "I know there's a lot of Republicans out there on Pine Ridge. They just don't know it yet."

State Sen. Larry Diedrich was chosen as the GOP candidate in the June 1 special election. He will face Democrat Stephanie Herseth.

Thune is running against Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.). Daschle will compete in a primary against Tim Giago, a newspaper publisher and member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Get the Story:
Thune urges Republicans to unite behind House candidate (AP 1/25)
Daschle-Giago primary may draw more Herseth voters (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 1/25)

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