Washington DC – September 17, 2013 – News Release – Council for a Livable World’s Board of Directors has announced its unanimous endorsement for Rick Weiland in his campaign to replace retiring Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD.)
"In a world where too many fight for profit and power, I am proud to stand with the Council for a Livable World in its fight for peace,� said Rick Weiland. “The Council believes the light of America's freedom shines brightest to the world when it is not obscured by the fog of war, and so do I.�
This endorsement is a “homecoming� for the Council. The first candidate Council for a Livable World endorsed following its founding in 1962 was Senator George McGovern (D-SD.) Since it began operations, it has helped elect 131 arms control advocates to the U.S. Senate and 226 to the House of Representatives. The Council has also endorsed Senator James Abourezk’s Senate campaign and Senators Tim Johnson and Tom Daschle’s Senate and Congressional campaigns.
“The Council is excited to be backing a great candidate in the state our mission began fifty years ago,� said Ira Lechner, chairman of the Council for a Livable World’s Board of Directors. “Rick is truly a man-of-the-people looking to fix the broken nature of Washington-as-usual politics. We are proud to give him the Council’s support and look forward to his victory next November.�
Weiland has the support of South Dakota’s Democratic establishment including former Senator Tom Daschle.
“I’m glad to see Rick being endorsed by the same organization that supported me when I was running to represent the people of South Dakota in the U.S. Senate,� said Senator Tom Daschle. “I have known the Council and Rick for many years and I know they have a shared vision for an America that is safe and secure thanks to a common sense national security policy that meets the needs of the 21st century.�
In order for Weiland to win, two of the voting blocs will be key to Weiland’s victory: Native Americans, 10 percent of the state’s population, and veterans.
“Veterans will be a huge voting bloc in South Dakota, as they make up 11.4 percent of the state’s voting age population,� said Col. (ret. USAF) Richard Klass, a member of the Council for a Livable World’s Board of Directors. “I hope that our endorsement and the support of veterans will mean Rick is South Dakota’s next Senator.�
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Council for a Livable World is a non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to increasing national security, particularly through reducing of the danger of nuclear weapons proliferation. The Council advocates for a strong and sensible national security policy and helps elect congressional candidates supporting those ideals.
