Stephanie Marie Herseth Sandlin (born December 3, 1970) is an American attorney, university administrator, and politician from the Democratic Party.

"[6] Herseth Sandlin opposed her party's leadership on some issues related to gun rights, which won her the support of the NRA Political Victory Fund.

[7][8] She is pro-choice and expressed opposition to Referred Law 6, which sought to ban abortions in South Dakota, including those for victims of incest and rape.

Herseth ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives in 2002, losing a high-profile race to Republican nominee Bill Janklow by a smaller than expected margin.

After Janklow was convicted of manslaughter in a motor vehicle accident, he resigned his seat, effective January 20, 2004, triggering a special election.

[10] Before the Democratic primary, Kevin Weiland, a physician who had begun a campaign against Herseth Sandlin but had not yet filed to be on the ballot, called off his efforts.

He said he had "concern for what the net effect would be on our political party retaining the seat in the next Congress, but also after receiving assurances from Stephanie that she will not vote to repeal the recently passed health care reform law.

[12] The Republican nominee, State Representative Kristi Noem, charged that Weiland's decision not to run was due to Herseth Sandlin trading her vote for personal gain.

[17] After losing reelection, Herseth Sandlin joined the Washington, D.C., firm of Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz as a principal attorney focusing on federal laws and regulations.

[18][19] She told Roll Call that she might register to lobby Congress after the expiration of the mandatory one-year waiting period that bars former members from doing so.

Ultimately, she decided not to run, citing her son and her desire to continue in her role as Legal Counsel at Raven Industries in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

[22][23][24] Herseth Sandlin served briefly as an adjunct professor at the Department of Political Science at South Dakota State University.

[26] In March 2007, Herseth married Max Sandlin, a four-term Democratic congressman from Texas and registered lobbyist with the lobbying and public relations firm Mercury, who is 18 years her senior.