The Sioux Falls, S.D., Argus Leader reports that “Sen. Tim Johnson plans to have an active campaign this year, despite his decision not to face opponent Joel Dykstra in any debates.” Johnson, a Democrat, suffered a brain hemorrhage a little more than a year ago, and his verbal skills have not yet fully recovered. “I have not yet reached a point in my rehab where my participation in a debate would accurately reflect my capabilities,” Johnson said last week. Dykstra, a Republican state representative, said Johnson’s decision not to participate in debates “makes it more difficult for voters to evaluate the two candidates, weigh them against each other in a common forum,” according to the newspaper. Johnson is solidly outpolling Dykstra so far. CQ Politics ranks the race as Safe Democrat.

According to theSan Francisco Chronicle, anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan has qualified for a November showdown with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Sheehan’s campaign initially had trouble collecting the 10,198 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot; last week, election officials found that more than 40 percent of the people on her original petition weren’t registered in California’s 8th District. “Sheehan’s supporters redoubled their efforts to collect enough signatures,” the newspaper reports, “ultimately turning in more than 17,000 signatures to ensure that she qualified.” Sheehan, who is running as an independent, is considered a longshot against Pelosi.