State Update

A Billion for, a Billion against

South Dakota's referendum on whether to repeal the state's outright abortion ban took a strange turn yesterday. The events illustrated just how divisive the question is. Two brothers, both doctors, split on whether the legislature's  first-of-its-kind  law should stand.  One was Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Billion, who said the law should be rescinded. But then Billion's brother, Stephen Billion, showed up at the news conference to say he thought the law should stand.

Here's how the Argus Leader of Sioux Falls describes it:

"I support this courageous act by our South Dakota Legislature and Governor Rounds, because it recognizes the scientific and moral truth about human life in the womb," Stephen Billion, a Sioux Falls internal medicine physician, read from a prepared statement.South Dakota's current limitations on abortion already are strict, and the bill's lack of a clear exception for rape and incest "further victimizes the women of South Dakota," Jack Billion said.

"This abortion ban shuts the door on the last option for a woman facing serious issues while pregnant," he said.

A crowd of Jack Billion supporters attended the press conference, with a handful of abortion ban supporters also present.

Pancho Villa lives!

President Bush's proposal to send the National Guard to Mexico is reviving memories the U.S. reaction to Pancho Villa 90 years ago. The Richmond Times-Dispatch's columnist Ray McAllister does a pretty good job of reminding us how it all happened:

If President Bush does deploy thousands of National Guard troops, including Virginia's, to the Mexican border, it won't be their first trip.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson mobilized a whopping 158,664 Guardsmen from all 48 states and sent them to protect the length of the border. They were moved to camps in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

That time, it wasn't Mexican immigrants they were trying to keep out.

It was Pancho Villa.

But McAllister wasn't the only one who remembered Pancho Villa. We've got to give props to South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds (R), who also made the connection. Rounds said the episode showed there's precedent for sending the Guard to the border.

Shameless self-promotion

Today's lead story at Stateline.org (yeah, I wrote it) discusses a pretty controversial bill that could be coming before Congress next week or the week after. It deals with insurance reforms that governors, attorneys general and insurance regulators worry will cut states out of regulating health insurance. It's not the sexiest topic in the world, but it's worth looking into.

Who's up, who's down

The latest Survey USA results are in. The vast majority of govs didn't have a lot of movement in their popularity since February's poll. But there are some exceptions.

South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds (R) took the biggest hit in the nation -- losing 14 percent -- after signing a law to ban abortions in the state, in direct contradiction to Roe v. Wade. That said, his approval rating is still at 58 percent.

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) fell 9 points as she and Republicans sparred over how many National Guard troops to send to the Mexican border to deal with illegal immigration. She, too, earned approval among 58 percent of those polled.

Other govs with noticeable drops are:

• Sonny Perdue (R) of Georgia, down 8 points to 52 percent
• Brad Henry (D) of Oklahoma, down 8 points to 66 percent
• Robert Ehrlich (R) of Maryland, down 7 points to 48 percent
• Jodi Rell (R) of Connecticut, down 6 points but still riding high at 75 percent
• John Lynch (D) of New Hamsphire, down 6 points to 64 percent

Both of last month's two most popular governors -- Rell and Joe Manchin (D) of West Virginia -- had fall-offs this month. Manchin lost 5 points. But then again, it's pretty tough keeping approval ratings up near 80 percent.

And, yes, there's good news too.

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) leads the pack with most improved ratings. He added 7 points and is now liked by 59 percent of responders. Vilsack was in the throes of a legislative session when the poll was out, pushing for more money for education and promoting his economic development program. But the poll was taken before he signed a law outlawing the video gambling machines the state lottery had rolled out.

In Mississippi, Gov. Haley Barbour (R) went up 6 points to 54 percent approval. He's received a lot of credit for the Katrina aid package recently passed by Congress, in which Mississippi fared well.

Dirk Kempthorne, the Idaho Republican recently tapped as President Bush's nominee to head the Interior Department, also added 6 points, to arrive at 62 percent approval. The poll was taken before the announcement of his possible promotion.

Other govs with health doses of good news (all going up 5 points):

• Mark Sanford (R) of South Carolina, up to 52 percent
• Michael Easley (D) of North Carolina, up to 55 percent
• Jon Corzine (D) of New Jersey, up to 51 percent