While I was in South Dakota, it seemed clear Democratic candidate Stephanie Herseth would win the special election for the House seat vacated by Republican Bill Janklow. Interestingly enough, Herseth supports many conservative positions. She supported the war in Iraq, wants to make most (but not all) of the Bush tax cuts permanent, and backs a constitutional amendment on gay marriage, thus narrowing the differences between herself and Republican candidate Larry Diedrich. Yet on other issues, most notably abortion, she is well to the left of South Dakota voters. Now Democrats will spin her victory as an augur of the fall elections, while Republican-leaning analysts will stress many of her conservative views, suggesting Dems can only win states like South Dakota as Bush-lite.