[DWPittelli]

as of the March 2002 primaries, Bon Homme County had some 2,200 registered republicans and some 1,900 registered democrats. CNN shows that Johnson received 1,858 votes (nearly 100% dem turnout) versus Thune's 144 votes (only 7% republican turnout). How could the republican turnout be so low?

CNN has a typo. See the official site at:

http://www.state.sd.us/sos/results/allraces.shtml

Thune had 1,444 votes, not 144 in Bon Homme County

[1L]

Thune had 1,444 votes, not 144 in Bon Homme County

That was my mistake. I took the CNN numbers (which were mistaken) and ran with them without comparing them to the SD website numbers. Sorry, folks. But there were other very suspicious happenings in that county, like Thune winning decisively in 2000 and losing rather decisively this time.