Diedrich's comments on visits to Iraq chill House race

David Kranz
Argus Leader

published: 10/17/2004

State publicity

South Dakota is gaining an image as a place with voting problems, and the stigma doesn't seem to disappear easily.

Pat Robertson recalled the problems on Native American reservations two years ago when he spoke Thursday night on his Christian Broadcasting Network.

Robertson presented an unflattering picture of the situation as he assessed the national centerpiece race between Sen. Tom Daschle and challenger John Thune.

"Without question, that's going to be the most-watched Senate race in the United States," he said. "The thing that I think is concerning many is the fraud on the Indian reservations. People go in there, and they ... take advantage of people that are not totally literate or, I don't know what they do, but there has been massive fraud."

The result is going to be a massive influx of lawyers from both parties to watch the process, he said.

Investigators are looking into new problems stemming from possible irregularities in obtaining absentee ballot applications.