Names in the News: Sens. Bill Frist and Tom Daschle

Publication Date: June 2004

Publisher: National Institute on Money in State Politics (U.S.)

Author(s): Denise Roth Barber

Research Area: Politics

Type: Report

Abstract:

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee made headlines recently when he campaigned actively against his Democratic counterpart, Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, who is engaged in a close re-election campaign this year against Republican challenger John Thune.

Frist traveled to South Dakota in May to campaign for Thune, breaking a long-standing, unspoken rule against the leader of one party actively seeking the ouster of his or her counterpart. The rules and decorum are fast changing during this election cycle that is seeing yet another close battle for control of both the U.S. Senate and the White House.