Jim Abdnor, ex-US senator from South Dakota, dies

Jim Abdnor, ex-US senator from South Dakota, dies

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Jim Abdnor, the South Dakota Republican who ousted George McGovern from the Senate, has died.

His family said in a statement that Abdnor died today at the age of 89. He had been in hospice care recently.

Despite three decades in public service, Abdnor never mastered the art of public speaking. But he served on the Senate Appropriations Committee and earned a reputation for helping farmers and winning South Dakota water projects and other benefits.

Abdnor was a four-term congressman when he unseated McGovern, Democrats’ 1972 presidential nominee. But he lost his seat after one term to another prominent Democrat, Tom Daschle. Abdnor was a teacher, farmer and World War II veteran before politics.