Candidate Speaking Out Against Opponents

by Jill Johnson
May 31, 2012 6:43 PM


With the election just five days away, the race for South Dakota's congressional seat is heating up. Democratic candidate Jeff Barth is not only speaking out about his primary opponent, but he's involving a Republican in the debate.

Jeff Barth needs to defeat Matt Varilek on June 5th before he even has the chance to face Representative Kristi Noem for her seat in Congress. But that isn't stopping him from challenging her a little early.

In a nearly five minute long ad on YouTube, Minnehaha County Commissioner Jeff Barth mentions Representative Kristi Noem's name several times.

In his internet ad Candidate Barth said, "Congress is broken and who's going to fix it? Kristi Noem and the tea party?"

Noem even makes a suprise appearance. And on Thursday her name came pouring out of his mouth again.

Barth said, "I've joked about her attendence because she didn't show up for traffic court. Why are we suprised when she doesn't show up for work?"

Even though Matt Varilek stands in his way of going up against Noem for her Congressional seat, Barth says his focus is Noem. And even though her campaign magager Tom Erickson is firing back about the ad, she's taking a lighter approach.

Rep. Kristi Noem said, "I don't know if it looks like me or not but I certainly did do a cameo appearance."

Noem says she'll wait until she finds out who her opponent is before she worries about her competition.

Noem said, "We've got a lot of moving parts and policy that need work and so that's where my attention's been focused."

But even though Barth says he's focusing on the future, he also says Matt Varilek's campaign manager has been attacking him on his hesitation to raise taxes on the rich and to speak out about Noem.

Barth said, "I'm not ready to run in and raise taxes willy nilly. I want to see our economy do a little bit better."

As for his opponent, Candidate Matt Varilek said "I think voters have to decide who is the strongest candidate to take on Kristi in the fall and our difference of tax policy is one example of that."

Varilek says he's simply informing the public about the differences between the candidates.

Varilek said,  "Our campaign is focused on communicating with voters, relying on volunteers and mailings and really highlighting those differences and why I am the strongest candidate to take on Kristi."

Even though Noem was quiet about her potential opponents to the media Thursday, she has addressed them in a radio ad recently. Rep. Noem says the democrratic party attacks are misleading and innacurate and she wants South Dakotans to know the truth.