SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson won a second term by a mere 527 votes Wednesday, defeating Rep. John Thune in a race widely seen as a proxy fight between President Bush and Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle.
With all precincts reporting, Johnson received 167,481 votes, or 50 percent, to 166,954 votes, or 49 percent, for the Republican.
The loser has the right to a recount, because the margin was less than the one-quarter of 1 percent threshold specified under the law.
Thune campaign officials said they were discussing a recount.
The tight finish marked the end of a yearlong battle waged on the fields, parched range land and small-town streets of South Dakota for control of the Senate.
Bush visited South Dakota four times this year to boost the chances of the three-term Republican congressman against the freshman senator. The other figure looming over the race was Daschle, South Dakota's senior senator.
Also on the ballot, four-term GOP Gov. Bill Janklow won South Dakota's lone House seat in a surprisingly close race against newcomer Stephanie Herseth, granddaughter of a former governor. The governorship went to Mike Rounds, former state Senate GOP leader, over university president Jim Abbott, a Democrat.
The two Senate candidates are among the most popular politicians in state history.
Thune, 41, had been set to run for governor before the president persuaded him to challenge Johnson as part of the GOP drive to regain control of the Senate. It was also a strike against Daschle.
Thune argued that he should be elected to give the state influence with the White House and Republican lawmakers.
Johnson, 55, contended his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, in conjunction with Daschle's leadership role, gave South Dakota more than enough clout in Washington.