GOP governor could name new senator

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - Control of the U.S. Senate could be determined by Republican Gov. Mike Rounds if a replacement must be named for Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson.

PIERRE, S.D. - Control of the U.S. Senate could be determined by Republican Gov. Mike Rounds if a replacement must be named for Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson (news, bio, voting record).

State law would allow the governor to appoint a temporary replacement for a vacant Senate seat until the next general election in 2008, when Johnson's term expires.

Johnson, 59, underwent late-night brain surgery in Washington after being hospitalizes for stroke-like symptoms.

Rounds said in a statement Wednesday: "Our prayers are with Tim, Barbara and their family. We are hopeful of good news for our friend and colleague."

Rounds' press secretary, Mark Johnston, said early Thursday that Rounds had nothing else to say.

"We're watching as much as everyone else. The most important thing is making sure Senator Johnson is OK," Johnston said.

A provision in state law calls for a special election when a U.S. Senate seat is vacant, but Secretary of State Chris Nelson said it would not apply because Johnson's term ends after the next general election.

"If there's a vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement who serves until the next general election," Nelson said.

Rounds' track record suggests he would pick a Republican. Although Democrats have often said they can work well with the governor, Rounds is loyal to his party.

When longtime Democratic state Sen. Dick Hagen of Pine Ridge died in 2002, Rounds appointed a Republican to replace him — even though Democrats held a huge majority in that district. The replacement senator, Michael LaPointe, ran for the office in the next election and was soundly beaten by a Democrat.

Bob Burns, political science head at South Dakota State University, believes Rounds would stay true to his party.

"It would be expected that Governor Rounds would appoint a Republican, if in fact the seat would be vacated, which would bring a tie (in the Senate) and (Vice President) Cheney would be the deciding vote."

Democrats won a 51-49 majority in the November election.

Burns pointed out, however, that Rounds could appoint no replacement unless there was a vacancy.

"Even if he were physically incapacitated, there's really no provision to vacate the position unless he resigns," Burns said.

Burns noted that the late-U.S. Sen. Karl Mundt, who was re-elected in 1966, suffered a stroke in 1969 and did not vacate his seat.

"He served out the remainder of his term with his staff basically serving as the senator," Burns said.

Rounds, who was re-elected in November, starts his second term in January. There's been speculation he would be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2008, but Rounds has said he's given that no thought and intends to serve his full term as governor.

Other than Rounds, top possibilities for a replacement senator include Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard and state Public Utilities Commission Chairman Dusty Johnson, considered a rising star in the Republican Party. Retiring GOP legislative leaders, such as House Speaker Matthew Michels and Senate Majority Leader Eric Bogue also might be considered.

Another possibility could be Larry Diedrich, an Elkton farmer who lost two statewide races against Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth (news, bio, voting record) and failed in an effort to return to the Legislature in the November election.

The only other South Dakota Republican who would rival Rounds' in terms of star power is former governor and congressman Bill Janklow, but he resigned from the U.S. House in early 2004 after being convicted of second-degree manslaughter for a fatal traffic crash.

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Associated Press writer Chet Brokaw in Pierre contributed to this story.