Conservatives first targeted Daschle during the 2002 South Dakota Senate race, when he wasn't even a candidate, Moore said in an interview Tuesday. In that race, Thune lost by just 524 votes to Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson, the state's junior senator, but Daschle was a frequent Thune target.
Conservatives said Daschle was two people: "the Tom Daschle who was the prairie populist when he was in South Dakota, and the Tom Daschle who was the darling of Hollywood and the East Coast elites in Washington," Moore said.
The argument gradually gained ground with many South Dakotans, said Burdett Loomis, a political scientist at the University of Kansas.
"The argument of Republicans [against Daschle] has taken its toll over the years. There is that assessment that he is out of step," Loomis said.
Although Daschle made a point of visiting every county in his sprawling state, Loomis said, "he can take that drive and visit every county every year and it simply may not be enough when you're the leader of the party."
Daniel Pfeiffer, Daschle's spokesman, said the senator had fought hard against the relentless attacks aimed at him.
"For three years, they have spared no expense to beat Tom Daschle," Pfeiffer said. "Tom has had to fight day in and day out to beat back those attacks on his record and his character. And here we are, the polls haven't yet closed, and he's still standing. It is a testament to Daschle's long and deep support in this state."
