The NRSC is trying to recruit their dream candidate to run against Tim Johnson in South Dakota–Lieutenant Governor Steve Kirby, who has some eyebrow-raising business connections:

Following information on the Web site of Kirby’s Bluestem Venture Capital, [oppo researchers] began investigating Collagenesis, a Massachussetts-based company backed by Bluestem to the tune of a million dollars.

Two years before, Collagenesis had been the subject of an investigative series by the Orange County (California) Register that discovered the company had obtained donated cadaver skin and processed it into a very expensive product called Dermalogen, that was widely used in cosmetic surgery. The skin from one cadaver produced $36,000 worth of Dermalogen, which was used primarily to enlarge lips and smooth out wrinkles.

The Register expose thoroughly demonstrated that the cadavers were donated to tissue banks by family members who had no idea the remains of their loved ones were being used for profit in the cosmetic surgery industry. While it is against federal law to buy or sell tissue for a profit, the law allows for “reasonable fees” to cover processing costs, without defining what is reasonable. The loophole had resulted in large amounts of donated skin being used for cosmetic surgery while thousands of severe burn victims went without desperately needed grafts.

“Companies like Collagenesis that sell to plastic surgeons can afford to pay tissue banks many times more for cadaver skin than burn centers can,” the newspaper explained. The ensuing bad publicity eventually scared off the suppliers of Collagenesis and forced it into bankruptcy on December 28,2001.

These ghoulish revelations cost Kirby the Governorship a few years ago, and they’re  going to become an issue again if he goes up against Johnson.

Though Johnson spent several months in the hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage over the summer, he’s widely loved and supported in his home state.  In addition, Johnson is a great Senator and a talented campaigner–in 2002 he defeated John Thune, who went on to defeat Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004.

In addition, look at Johnson’s current approval numbers:

Job Approval

Tim Johnson
Favorable: 64
Unfavorable: 18

Steve Kirby
Favorable: 14
Unfavorable: 18

Thinking about the election for U.S. Senate in November 2008, if the election for Senate were held today and the candidates were Democrat Tim Johnson and Republican Steve Kirby – for whom would you vote, Tim Johnson or Steve Kirby?

Johnson (D) 66
Kirby (R) 29

I’m not worried about Johnson’s prospects come November.  In fact, I expect the Democratic caucus to gain several new members come January 2009, especially when you consider two factors:

1. The DSCC is $16 million dollars ahead of the NRSC in terms of cash on hand
2. Out of the 11 competitive races this cycle, 10 are Republicans; only 1 is a Democrat.

Even if the NRSC has historic recruitment–which they haven’t so far–they’re still going to lose seats come November.  Barring some major development in the next few months, 2008 is shaping up to be a Democratic year.