South Dakota Moves One Step Closer to Global Hegemony

Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota suffered a possible stroke Wednesday and was taken to a hospital, his office said.

If he should be unable to continue to serve, it could halt the scheduled Democratic takeover of the Senate. Democrats won a 51-49 majority in the November election. South Dakota’s governor, who would appoint any temporary replacement, is a Republican.

“Senator Tim Johnson was taken to George Washington University Hospital this afternoon suffering from a possible stroke,” read a statement from his Senate office. “At this stage, he is undergoing a comprehensive evaluation by the stroke team.” [link]

Johnson is only 59, and I certainly  hope  he recovers swiftly and fully.  Whatever your partisan preferences, and mine are not generally with Senator  Johnson or his party this year,  this is not the sort of event that should decide such matters.  Furthermore, while the Governor may temporarily fill the seat, that’s only until a special election can be held at the time of the next general election, which will be held  in November  2008.  That’s when Johnson, a  Senate back-bencher, would have been up for reelection anyway.  Then, the matter  will be  up to the voters of  my home  state, who are among the nation’s most conservative, but who tend to like electing their congressional representatives from both parties (our lone Congressional representative, Stephanie Herseth, is a Democrat, and our other senator, John Thune, is a Republican).