Adelstein was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2000, and served four years in the House before he was elected to the South Dakota Senate in 2005.[5] In 2006, Adelstein was defeated in the Republican primary by Elli Schwiesow. He endorsed the Democratic Party nominee, Tom Katus. In 2008, Adelstein regained the seat, defeating Katus and Schwiesow[3] in a three-way race with Schwiesow running as an independent. Adelstein ran unopposed for the South Dakota Senate in 2010 and 2012. In December 2013, Adelstein resigned from the South Dakota Senate for health reasons.[6]
Adelstein offered to put up $1.2 million in an attempt to keep the fossils of Sue, the largest tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered,[8] in South Dakota. Ultimately, he was out-bid at the Sotheby's auction in New York City.[9] Adelstein was featured in the documentary film Dinosaur 13 for these efforts.[10]
Publications
In August 2019, a biography about Adelstein entitled "The Question is "Why?"" by Eric Steven Zimmer was published by Vantage Point Press.[11]