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Stephanie Herseth Sandlin's Ratings and Endorsements

Vote Smart displays all known interest group ratings for each candidate and official, regardless of issue or bias.

Keep in mind that ratings done by special interest groups often do not represent a non-partisan stance. In addition, some groups select votes that tend to favor members of one political party over another, rather than choosing votes based solely on issue concerns. Nevertheless, they can be invaluable in showing where an incumbent has stood on a series of votes in the past one or two years, especially when ratings by groups on all sides of an issue are compared. Website links, if available, and descriptions of the organizations offering performance evaluations are accessible by clicking on the name of the group.

With rare exceptions, Vote Smart displays interest group ratings as a 0-100 percentage. While many interest groups use percentages as ratings to begin with, please note that Vote Smart has translated some ratings to a percentage from a different rating system for consistency and ease in understanding. Please visit the group's website, email us at ratings@votesmart.org or call our Voter Information Hotline at 1-888-VOTESMART for more specific information.

36%
2009
23%
2007-2008
61%
2005-2006
71%
2003-2004
100%
2009
100%
2007
100%
2006
100%
2005
100%
2009-2010
92%
2007-2008
70%
2005-2006
85%
2007
53%
2007-2008
33%
2005
100%
2003-2004
66%
2007-2008
66%
2007-2008
0%
2005-2006
58%
2010
58%
2010
47%
2010
47%
2010
42%
2010
42%
2010
54%
2010
54%
2010
57%
2010
57%
2010
53%
2010
53%
2010
42%
2010
42%
2010
50%
2009
50%
2009
50%
2009
50%
2009
44%
2009
44%
2009
53%
2009
53%
2009
47%
2009
47%
2009
45%
2009
45%
2009
53%
2009
53%
2009
55%
2009
55%
2009
42%
2008
42%
2008
52%
2008
52%
2008
50%
2008
50%
2008
52%
2008
52%
2008
48%
2008
48%
2008
48.5%
2008
48.5%
2008
47%
2008
47%
2008
54%
2008
54%
2008
56%
2007
56%
2007
52%
2007
52%
2007
47%
2007
47%
2007
53.7%
2007
53.7%
2007
46.3%
2007
46.3%
2007
52%
2007
52%
2007
48%
2007
48%
2007
43%
2007
43%
2007
40.8%
2006
40.8%
2006
41%
2006
41%
2006
40%
2006
40%
2006
58%
2006
58%
2006
59%
2006
59%
2006
40%
2006
40%
2006
59%
2006
59%
2006
59.2%
2006
59.2%
2006
41%
2005
41%
2005
39%
2005
39%
2005
61%
2005
61%
2005
43%
2005
43%
2005
57%
2005
57%
2005
41%
2005
41%
2005
59%
2005
59%
2005
59%
2005
59%
2005
39%
2004
39%
2004
45%
2004
45%
2004
55%
2004
55%
2004
60%
2004
60%
2004
40%
2004
40%
2004
60%
2004
60%
2004
75%
2005-2006
33%
2003-2004
66
2007
75%
2007
75%
2007
0%
2006
0%
2006
0%
2009
75%
2009-2010
49%
2005
49%
2005
100%
2004
25%
2007-2008
46%
2005-2006
33%
2003-2004
20%
1999-2006
30%
2005-2006
0%
2003-2004
0%
2007-2008
38%
2005-2006
100%
2004
59%
2009
80
2008
90
2007
50%
2006
50%
2005
50%
2006-2012
50%
2006-2012
55%
2007-2008
55%
2007-2008
25%
2005-2006
25%
2005-2006
11%
2003-2004
11%
2003-2004
11%
2003-2004
100%
2007
50%
2007
100%
2007
83%
2007
75%
2005
57%
2005-2010
100%
2007
36%
2009
23%
2007-2008
61%
2005-2006
71%
2003-2004
25%
2004
27%
2007-2008
57%
2005-2006
80%
2003-2004
21%
2009
21%
2009
40%
2008
40%
2008
35%
2007
35%
2007
29%
2006
29%
2006
33%
2005
33%
2005
45%
2004
45%
2004
18%
2009-2010
0%
2007
0%
2007
76%
2001-2010
76%
2001-2010
C
2010
15
2009-2010
29%
2009-2010
55%
2009
20%
2007-2008
52%
2007-2008
29%
2005-2006
58%
2007-2008
65%
2005-2006
37%
2007-2008
64%
2007
73%
2005
27%
2003-2004
76%
2001-2010
76%
2001-2010
17%
2009
17%
2009
40%
2008
40%
2008
27%
2007
27%
2007
36%
2006
36%
2006
42%
2005
42%
2005
50%
2004
50%
2004
83%
2007
0%
2007-2008
0%
2007
0%
2006
25%
2007-2008
25%
2007-2008
0%
2007
0%
2005-2006
0%
2004
50%
2003-2004
50%
2003-2004
88%
2009
88%
2009
100%
2006
85%
2007
50%
2007
33%
2005-2006
100%
2004
75%
2005-2006
33%
2003-2004
50%
2003-2004
50%
2003-2004
66
2007
33%
2005
100%
2003-2004
85%
2007
100%
2004
60%
2009
75%
2007-2008
80%
2007
40%
2005-2006
85%
2008
50%
2006-2012
50%
2006-2012
100%
2007
0%
2007-2008
11%
2005-2006
36%
2009
23%
2007-2008
61%
2005-2006
71%
2003-2004
30%
2007-2008
21%
2009
21%
2009
40%
2008
40%
2008
35%
2007
35%
2007
29%
2006
29%
2006
33%
2005
33%
2005
45%
2004
45%
2004
0%
2007-2008
0%
2007
0%
2006
0%
2007
0%
2007
5%
2007-2008
24%
2005-2006
31%
2003-2004
22%
2009
F
2008
F
2007
22%
2006
19%
2005
13%
2004
56%
2005-2006
56%
2005-2006
33%
2009
30%
2007
36%
2007
37%
2005
43%
2005
50%
2005
19%
2004
0%
2003-2004
0%
2003-2004
35%
2009
16%
2008
2%
2007
30%
2006
50%
2005-2006
50%
2005-2006
44%
2007-2008
72%
2005-2006
72%
2005-2006
83%
2007-2008
83%
2007-2008
77%
2005-2006
77%
2005-2006
75%
2003-2004
75%
2003-2004
-4
2003-2004
25%
2007-2008
25%
2007-2008
0%
2007
0%
2005-2006
0%
2004
54%
2009-2010
100%
2004
37%
2007-2008
64%
2007
73%
2005
27%
2003-2004
0%
2005
50%
2006-2012
50%
2006-2012
53%
2009
100%
2005-2006
100%
2005-2006
0%
2007
33%
2009-2010
50%
2005-2006
100%
2007
57%
2007-2008
43%
2005-2006
75%
2005-2006
50
2007
25%
2003
100%
2006
100%
2007-2008
100%
2005-2006
50%
2003-2004
100%
2005
25%
2007-2008
25%
2007-2008
0%
2007
0%
2005-2006
0%
2004
50%
2007
50%
2007
0%
2006
0%
2006
11%
2003-2004
17%
2007-2010
76%
2009-2010
76%
2009-2010
64%
2005-2008
64%
2005-2008
72%
2005-2006
72%
2005-2006
62%
2003-2006
62%
2003-2006
8%
2003-2005
8%
2003-2005
63%
2004
100%
2005-2006
100%
2007
67%
2009-2010
100
2007-2008
100
2007-2008
100%
2005-2006
100%
2005-2006
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
92%
2007
55%
2007-2008
55%
2007-2008
25%
2005-2006
25%
2005-2006
11%
2003-2004
11%
2003-2004
100%
2007
70%
2006
78%
2005
88%
2009
88%
2009
83%
2007-2008
83%
2007-2008
77%
2005-2006
77%
2005-2006
75%
2003-2004
75%
2003-2004
58%
2007-2008
65%
2005-2006
37%
2007-2008
64%
2007
73%
2005
27%
2003-2004
76%
2001-2010
76%
2001-2010
17%
2009
17%
2009
40%
2008
40%
2008
27%
2007
27%
2007
36%
2006
36%
2006
42%
2005
42%
2005
50%
2004
50%
2004
70%
2010
67%
2009-2010
64%
2009
73%
2007-2008
70%
2007
50%
2006
56%
2005
56%
2003-2004
50%
2007-2008
0%
2007-2008
11%
2005-2006
-4
2003-2004
25%
2004
30%
2007-2008
27%
2007-2008
57%
2005-2006
80%
2003-2004
0%
2005
0%
2009
100
2005
75%
2005
57%
2005-2010
25%
2009-2010
25%
2009-2010
100
2007-2008
100
2007-2008
66%
2005-2006
66%
2005-2006
33%
2009-2010
33%
2009-2010
40%
2009-2010
40%
2009-2010
37%
2009-2010
37%
2009-2010
40%
2009
30%
2009
35%
2009
10%
2007-2008
10%
2007-2008
10%
2007
27%
2006
13%
2005
33%
2004
55%
2007-2008
55%
2007-2008
25%
2005-2006
25%
2005-2006
11%
2003-2004
11%
2003-2004
100%
2007
16%
2009-2010
0%
2007-2008
0%
2007-2008
11%
2005-2006
11%
2005-2006
33%
2009-2010
36%
2009
36%
2009
23%
2007-2008
23%
2007-2008
61%
2005-2006
61%
2005-2006
71%
2003-2004
71%
2003-2004
50%
2009-2010
30%
2007-2008
30%
2007-2008
100%
2008
100%
2008
0%
2007
0%
2007
0%
2007
0%
2007
0%
2009
56%
2005-2006
56%
2005-2006
33%
2009
33%
2009
30%
2009
36%
2007
30%
2007
30%
2007
36%
2007
37%
2005
37%
2005
50%
2005
50%
2005
43%
2005
43%
2005
19%
2004
19%
2004
20%
2010
40%
2009-2010
40%
2009-2010
37%
2009-2010
37%
2009-2010
33%
2009-2010
33%
2009-2010
33%
2009-2010
33%
2009-2010
40%
2009-2010
40%
2009-2010
37%
2009-2010
37%
2009-2010
30%
2009
35%
2009
40%
2009
40%
2009
35%
2009
30%
2009
10%
2007-2008
10%
2007-2008
10%
2007-2008
10%
2007-2008
10%
2007
10%
2007
27%
2006
27%
2006
13%
2005
13%
2005
33%
2004
33%
2004
83%
2005-2006
13%
2005-2006
13%
2005-2006
50%
2005-2006
50%
2005-2006
13%
2005-2006
13%
2005-2006
0%
2009
44%
2007-2008
0%
2009
67%
2005-2006
67%
2005-2006
25%
2009
25%
2009
26%
2008
26%
2008
10%
2007
10%
2007
25%
2006
25%
2006
29%
2005
29%
2005
0%
2009
5%
2007-2008
24%
2005-2006
31%
2003-2004
22%
2009
F
2008
F
2007
22%
2006
19%
2005
13%
2004
35%
2009
16%
2008
2%
2007
30%
2006
85%
2007
33%
2005-2006
50%
2003-2004
50%
2003-2004
40%
2009-2010
40%
2009-2010
100%
2007
100%
2003-2004
27%
2007-2008
57%
2005-2006
80%
2003-2004
70%
2009
70
2007-2008
80%
2007
80%
2005-2006
80%
2005-2006
40%
2003-2004
40%
2003-2004
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