State Republican Convention starts June 19 in Chamberlain. One horse race will take place, and that’s about it.
It’s getting to be convention time again. In 2006, the Watertown convention was top notch, so my expectations are high. At the very least, I’m going to be expecting wireless internet access. Chamberlain, huh? I’m not sure if that should elicit a groan from me or not.
The convention is going to be held at Cedar Shores Resort as the flyer I got in the mail the other day noted. If I recall it correctly, the room prices were pushing $100 a night, so I might have to bunk with someone. Anyway……
Chamberlain… Isn’t that about a 2 to 3 hour drive for everyone? Once you get past Al’s Oasis cafe in Oacoma and the SD Hall of Fame, the local attractions drop off quickly. (I sense a fishing pole is going to be thrown in the back of my truck for the occasion.)
Ok, I’m probably questioning how it’s going to come off because the last convention was so good, and now we’re going into the off year of the convention cycle when our choices are a bit more slim on what we get to vote on. When it’s the big year, that place will be packed to the gills. But in the off year… not so much.
The GOP’s major races at convention this year?
Public Utilities Commissioner. Candidate(s) - Gary Hanson (i)
National Committeeman. Candidate(s) - Ron Schmidt(i) and Dana Randall
National Committeewoman. Candidate(s) - Mary Jean Jensen (i)
Gary is obviously a done deal. Unless opposition pops up for Mary Jean, and that’s doubtful given the great job she’s done with advocacy for the party, that is a done deal as well.
That leaves National Committeeman. This one could actually be a horse race.
Incumbent Committeeman Ron Schmidt has been around and involved with the party for decades. He’s been a dedicated soldier for the GOP, and even took one for the team in the Daschle race. You can’t deny his contributions, and it shows by his holding this position for a few terms now. But…
And there are “but’s” out there that I’m hearing from party activists. What are they grumbling about? I’m hearing there are people out there who were quite mad when he breezed out of the 2006 convention - literally before it began. And a select number of West River party faithful haven’t forgotten nor forgiven his very visible support of Democrat Pete Fuller over former GOP Director Lance Russell in the 2006 Judicial contest out West. Plus, there are still those who are quick to point out that he has been there for a while, and someone else needs a turn.
Ron faces former Brown County GOP Chair Dana Randall in the National Committeeman contest, and from his level of ‘hyperactivity’ within the GOP over the past months, it’s obvious to all concerned that Dana is doing his best to win the hearts and votes of the delegations. Despite holding no official title in the leadership of the GOP, there have only been a few GOP events that he’s had to miss over the past 6 months. Plus, among younger GOP activists and operatives, Dana is extremely popular. At one time he was even being promoted by many of them as a challenger against State GOP Chair Randy Frederick.
For those of you going to convention this year, this and the contents of the platform are what you will be making a decision on.
See you there, and let me know if I need to save a spot on the shore for you.
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Comments
It is time for Ron to go. He’s been doing too little for the GOP for too long. Supporting liberal, catch and release, judges was the last straw.
I’d be interested in hearing Schmidt’s explanation (if there is a plausible one) about why he backed Fuller. I don’t know about the other people in the race, but Fuller is a lib who has shorthand for “Probable Cause” on the vanity plate on his ratty van (which clutters up the parking lot of an otherwise nice condo complex, ha).
The Bridge View Innn (aka Lake Shore Motel) is under $50 a night (605.235.5566).
It is a fifty year old “mom & pop” that isn’t fancy, but it’s on the river, has clean rooms, and hot showers.
If you mention the GOP convention, you get an extra $5 off a night.
PP, let me know if I owe you some $$ for the cheap plug.
We’re working on getting WiFi before the convention.
-Judd Lindquist
I suspect that if Tim Rounds gets 3rd in his primary race he’ll consider the PUC slot…someday, we will all refer to Mike as Tim’s brother.
Too bad someone isn’t stabbing Gary Hanson in the back the way “some people” back stabbed Bob Sahr at the last convention. Oh wait - we know who “some” of those players are.
Dana Randall has my vote at the State GOP Convention! It’s time we retire Ron “I support Democrats” Schmidt.
I can’t think of a single republican lawyer that backed Russel. It was simply a question of competence over politics. Thank God competence won.
Russell simply wasn’t qualified to be judge. Not enough experience. Too partisan. First to bring negative campaigning to SD judicial races. Let’s hope our judicial campaigns don’t become expensive and nasty like our partisan political campaigns. When the local lawyers don’t back you and don’t want you on the bench it says a lot about someone, and makes it tough to win a judge race.
If Russell or whomever was so objectionable, Schmidt could have stayed out of it instead of actively and openly supporting Fuller. And besides, if lawyers don’t like judge, it is probably because he is doing his job and doesn’t pander to them. Since when do we value what lawyers think? 
5:58 I am with you, if most lawyers are against something , I probably would be for it.
I am anxious to see everyone in Chamberlain. It is a beautiful little City. Cedar Shores has nice meeting facilities. Does Al’s Oasis still have great tasting 5 cents coffee?
What you folks don’t acknowledge is that judicial elections are NONPARTISAN elections. Why should Ron Schmidt refrain from supporting who he believes is the best candidate? Do we not want the best judges on the bench?
7:59 Your comment is on the wrong post. See the next post on the JAIL amendment. Most lawyers were against that too, so I take it that you were one of the 10% of losers supporting that one.
5:58 Since when do we value what lawyers think? That would include Russel as well? Lawyers want judges who are smart and consistent. Like em or not, they have a far better idea of who among them would make a good judge. In this case, it was Fuller. This is one area where lawyer bashing for the sake of it doesn’t work.
It is important that judicial elections remain non-partisan. Once they become partisan, any concept of “blind justice” goes out the window. Pete Fuller’s registration is irrelevant to a non-partisan race.
I happen to know both of these men (Ron being formerly of Pierre) and Pete/Jacquie being college friends of my folks. From a personal integrity point of view, Ron and Pete are of impeccable character. One can disagree with either of these men on public matters but from a personal integrity standpoint, they only deserve praise and respect.
Because Ron Schmidt and Pete Fuller were law school contemporaries of my father, my suspicion is that a great deal of this was related to personal relationship. When personal relationships are secondary to ideology, are we a better society?
Let me tell you a little story. I grew up in Pierre and have great personal affinity for State Senator Homar Harding. In the late 80’s, my sister-in-law chose to run against Homer as a Democrat. Because I agreed politically with Homer, I supported Homer. But my wife placed family loyalty over ideology and worked for Jackie Kelley’s election.
Do you think that Homer valued my support as much as it hurt my sister-in-law that I supported her opponent? Of course not. Would it have been better to have been silent? A little but that too is a choice. In retrospect, I wish I had gone to Homer who I’d known for 15 years and told him of my dilemma. I’m pretty confident he’d have understood.
I know some would say Ron is prevented from doing so (even though it is a non-partisan position) because of his position in the party. But I had a pretty visible job with Mickelson, had had one with Jim Abdnor, and has served on the State Central Committee as CR chairman. In retrospect, I placed ideology over my family. I don’t think I did the right thing.
russell will have some explaining to do about his judgement. He recently had a grand jury indict Mike Ortner on a misdemeanor election law violation. It seems that Mike wrote an op-ed piece for the local paper that lance didn’t like. Mike is also a candidate for county commissioner and is a republican who has served in the legislature. The article did not have a disclaimer and in lance’s mind that was a crime for which a grand jury was necesary. Lo and behold, Larry Long discovered that lance’s yard signs and other signs failed to have a disclaimer! You can quess what happened next. The point is that through this one example lance proved why he didn’t and couldn’t win election as judge. And as far as I am concerned is not qualified to hold any office in our state or party. Lack of judgement, pettiness, abuse of power, this guy has it all.
lawyers want judges who will decide cases in their favor…bottom line.
The bar knows who those judges are. Trial lawyers in Rapid knew who would decide in their favor and in accordance with that chose their horse.
Russell is a known federalist and would have decided cases based on the law instead of attempting to pull the old “Fuller fast-one” by subtling side-stepping the SDCL.
Ron, even though he represents clients mostly being sued, (contractors) owed Fulled a favor. Ron should have understood the implications of his endorsement when he made it. While Ron has every right to endorse a candidate for any office, he has to remember that he ALSO represents the GOP when doing so.
The delegates at the state convention will factor this into their decision making process.
i wouldn’t insult the federalist society by insinuating that they would allow lance russell to be a member. He couldn’t pass the iq requirements.
Is Gary running again? I haven’t seen any announcement.