By Heather Garlich
Congressional Quarterly

Electoral votes: 3

Delegates: 22

Co-chairman: Gov. William J. Janklow and Rep. John Thune

Hotel: Four Points Sheraton (Cherry Hill, N.J.) (856) 428-2300

1996 Election:
Dole – 47%
Clinton – 43%
Perot – 10%

South Dakota - a sparsely populated, conservative-leaning farm state - has been one of the surest things for Republican presidential candidates over the years. The Republican nominee has won in 14 of the past 15 elections and in each of the past eight - including the 1992 and 1996 contests in which Democrat Bill Clinton won the national vote.

The 22 members of this year's South Dakota delegation are confident that Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the Republican standard-bearer, will carry their state this year over Vice President Al Gore and are hoping the rest of the nation will follow suit.

"We are so dissatisfied with the present administration," said delegate Joan Johnson, a veteran of the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Republican conventions.

Johnson expressed elation over the nearly equal ratio of women to men in the delegation, a fact also noted by delegate Linda Henry. "There's more women in the delegation, and we're real proud about that fact," Henry said. "We worked real hard to get more women involved." She added that she hoped the significant presence of women would lead to increased discussion of issues such as education.

The delegation, selected as a result of a June 6 primary that came long after the nomination was already decided, is solidly pro-Bush.

Bush even has the support of at least one delegate who was no big fan of his father, President George Bush. Paul Erickson in 1992 was an official in the campaign of conservative commentator Pat Buchanan, who challenged the incumbent Bush from the right. But Erickson - who attended Republican conventions in 1980 and 1984 as well as 1992 - said he is satisfied with George W. Bush's positioning.

"I don't feel I'm compromising my conservative views," he said.

Delegates said they anticipate discussion of prescription drug benefits and rural health care issues. Delegate Judy Page, a homemaker, said she and others in her community have to drive 100 miles to the nearest doctor.

The Republican delegation is co-chaired by Gov. William J. Janklow and U.S. Rep. John Thune. Other delegates include state House Speaker Roger Hunt, who recently supported legislation allowing the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools, state Rep. Bill Peterson and Dana Nelson, a special assistant to Janklow.

SOUTH DAKOTA NOTABLES: Gov. William J. Janklow and U.S. Rep. John Thune, delegation co-chairmen; state House Speaker Roger Hunt.