WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- The field of Republicans running for South Dakota's lone seat in the U.S. House grew by one Monday as state Rep. Ron Williamson entered the race.
The seat becomes vacant when Rep. Bill Janklow, R-S.D., resigns his seat later this month.
Williamson is the eighth Republican to enter the fray in what GOP sources in the state say is a wide open race.
The other announced GOP candidates are: former Senate Majority Leader Barb Everist, state Sen. Larry Diedrich, ex-House Speaker Roger Hunt, Rapid City Councilor Jeff Partridge, former congressional staffer Larry Russell, chiropractor Allan Unruh and businessman Gary Wietgrefe.
Democrat Stephanie Herseth, whom Janklow defeated in the 2002 election, is currently unopposed in her nomination bid.
The South Dakota Republican Party Central Committee will pick the nominee when it meets Jan. 23-24. Votes will be allocated per county based on the total number of Republican votes cast for governor in the last election.
