U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin got some encouraging news from a South Dakota voter survey taken on behalf of a national Democratic organization last week.

The survey of 400 likely voters in South Dakota was conducted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 by Anzalone Liszt Research, a Democratic polling firm with offices in Washington, D.C. It showed Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., leading her Republican challenger, state Rep. Kristi Noem of Castlewood, 50 percent to 41 percent.

When independent U.S. House candidate B. Thomas Marking of Custer was included, Herseth Sandlin maintained a lead, 50 percent to 39 percent, over Noem with Marking getting 4 percent. The poll had a 4.9 percent margin of error.

The survey results differ sharply from polling on the race by Rasmussen Reports, a national polling considered by many to be Republican leaning. Rasmussen had Noem leading Herseth Sandlin 53 percent to 41 percent in June, 49 percent to 44 percent in July and 51 percent to 42 percent in August.

The Anzalone Liszt poll was among a number of surveys paid for by the independent expenditure arm of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to gauge support for Democratic candidates in key congressional races. The independent expenditure arm of the committee is a separate entity set up to conform to campaign finance reform laws. The committee already pledged support, through its independent arm, for Herseth Sandlin in the form of about $500,000 in advertising spots purchased during the last few weeks of the campaign.

The committee released the Anzalone Liszt survey results Tuesday.

Russ Levsen, a campaign spokesman for Herseth Sandlin, said the Anzalone Liszt polling shows that Herseth Sandlin's personal stops around the state and campaign advertising is getting her message across to state voters.

"We're hearing a lot of great feedback, and she is reaching a lot of voters," Levsen said. "Also, we've had five debates in the last few weeks. Voters are seeing there's a real choice in this election, and they're responding to Stephanie's approach and her record of doing right for South Dakota regardless of partisan politics."

Noem campaign spokesman Josh Shields questioned the polling and said any gains Herseth Sandlin made came through extensive media buys and negative tactics by the incumbent's campaign. But Herseth Sandlin is still in trouble in her re-election, Shields said.

"After nearly a month to herself on the television airwaves and two weeks of negative personal attacks, Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin and the Washington Democrats are now trumpeting a poll they purchased and has the incumbent registering at only 50 percent," Shields said. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com