SHS Earmarks $357M; Madison Gets $7.5M Hwy 34 Shout-Out

Last month, Taxpayers for Common Sense reported that South Dakota received $148 million in federal earmarks, thanks largely to the bipartisan efforts of our Congressional delegation.

Yesterday, Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin announced she's put in for $357 million in earmarks in FY 2011. You can review the complete list on David Montgomery's super-cool spreadsheet (thank you, David!).

Notice this: On Tuesday, word gets out that Madison native Dr. Kevin Weiland is circulating petitions to challenge Herseth Sandlin for her House seat. Same day, SHS releases her earmark requests, the single largest of which for transportation is $7.5 million to begin expansion of Highway 34 between Madison and I-29, a four-lane-ification project locals have been clamoring for. Coincidence?