Campaign Finance Reform Comes to South Dakota

Campaign finance reformers are coming to the aid of Democrat Rick Weiland in his South Dakota Senate race.

A new ad released by Mayday PAC, a group founded by Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig to prove that voters care about getting big money out of politics, says, "Rick Weiland is running for U.S. Senate to take our country back from the big money that controls our democracy. He believes all of us – farmers, ranchers, workers, families – deserve a fair shake. Instead of tax breaks for millionaires and sweetheart deals for special interests, he'll raise the minimum wage, invest in education, and protect and expand social security."

The Huffington Post reports:

"Rick Weiland understands that as long as our representatives are held hostage to their funders – and not the people – the system will not work for Americans of either political party," Lessig, a native of Rapid City, South Dakota, said in a statement on Tuesday. "It's up to us to take our government back, and that is Rick Weiland's central campaign message."

The $1 million expenditure is part of planned $2 million campaign by a coalition of groups that includes Mayday, Communications Workers of America, Every Voice Action, Democracy for America and Progressive Campaign Change Committee. The multi-million dollar advertising contribution may have a big impact on a race that has been largely ignored by the two major political parties and major donors.

Read more here.