This morning, as we lead into the big Democrat event this weekend featuring Bernie Sanders Democrat Keith Ellison headlining the SDDP’s fundraising dinner, we’re treated to a public evaluation of Democrat Party Chair Ann Tornberg by members of her executive board.
Over at the voice-of-the-left website Dakota Free Press this morning, the extreme liberals of the Democrat Party are upset that Ann Tornberg hasn’t been able to move South Dakota leftward. In fact, these members are so upset with Tornberg’s results that they’re not even trying to keep it in the family, or even civil, and are openly and publicly calling for a vote to throw Tornberg out of office.
And they have some choice words for the embattled SDDP Chair:
..we believe that the move to a four-year term for Chairperson has not served the party well and we should return to a 2-year term. Any person who finds success in the office would be able to run for unlimited terms of re-election but it would give us an opportunity to make changes in leadership when needed.
If these amendments pass, we intend to hold an immediate election.
and..
As for the optics and the “politics” of it, we know this isn’t pleasant and it’s not fun. But, can we really be worried that the SDDP is going to get worse press than this? Do we really think the status quo is worth protecting?
We don’t hold Ann Tornberg responsible for all that ails the SDDP. She has tried her best, and for that we thank her.
What we do hold her responsible for is a severe lack of management ability that has led to low fundraising, dropping voter registration numbers, a nearly invisible message, and at the center, zero of anything resembling a strategic action plan for the State Party. The Executive Board has made numerous attempts to initiate strategic planning processes and set goals, which were either ignored, or misguided into “listening sessions” that fell on deaf ears. Many of your Democratic Party participating readers will likely share their own frustrations and experiences of Tornberg’s inability to lay out clear pathways to success despite her two years of trying.
“What we do hold her responsible for is a severe lack of management ability that has led to low fundraising, dropping voter registration numbers, a nearly invisible message, and at the center, zero of anything resembling a strategic action plan for the State Party.” WOW.
At the same time her old District 16 opponent, Dan Lederman, has taken over leadership of the SDGOP to good reviews, it sounds like the Democrats are disgusted, and looking to jettison Tornberg for running the SDDP into the ground.
They’re using some pretty harsh language, and when they state “The Executive Board has made numerous attempts to initiate strategic planning processes and set goals, which were either ignored, or misguided into “listening sessions” that fell on deaf ears,” that’s a pretty damning indictment from Tornberg’s detractors of her inability to produce results, as she’s led the SDDP farther and farther to the left (as proven by her latest disaster, featuring Keith Ellison at the big Dem dinner.)
Although, it sounds as if this has been a long time coming, when they note the “frustrations and experiences of Tornberg’s inability to lay out clear pathways to success despite her two years of trying.”
With language like that being thrown around publicly, it could also be an attempt by those who want to move South Dakota leftward at a faster pace to damage Tornberg so badly that even if she has the support of a majority of the Democrat Party Governing Board, that she’s publicly ruined. Even if they wanted her to stay, this might have been an attempt at a killing blow.
A big dinner this weekend featuring a speaker tainted with accusations of anti-semitism, fundraising for terrorists, and speaking in favor of convicted cop-killers, and a party meeting to oust a chair with “a severe lack of management ability?”
This weekend Dems might just have the most cringeworthy show in town!
I guess she doesn’t think that terrible policies have led to their downfall. A national party that has just kicked out nearly all South Dakota Democrats from their ranks won’t help, either.
I was thinking something similar; do they believe that having more money will enable them to buy wins since their ideas can’t?
While there needs to be a compete overhaul within the SDDP Ann Tornberg in all fairness should not be blamed for all the problems. Dakota Free Press is a great example of what is hurting Democrats nationally with blaming everyone else for problems but never accepting responsibility. Enabling victimization. That blog has driven party registration down with its demonization of Republicans, Independents and anyone that disagrees with their extreme agenda. How many blog postings have there been against Al Novstrup? The attacks go way beyond what was ever needed in a civil competitive race. Frankly many Aberdeen area Democrats voted for Al because the guy running against him is such a egotistical jerk.
The SDDP is a mess and will be for a while.
The way it is going with the SDDP and the hard left from DFP it would not surprise me if they bring representatives from “Antifa” http://conservativefiringline.com/antifa-thugs-seek-firearms-combat-training-berkeley-standoff/ to their next McGovern Day Dinner and deploy them at the Capitol when in session.
The SDDP is nothing more than an empty vessel. That death rattle you hear is coming from the Ellison types. Any certifiably sane Dem will take refuge as an Independent and the triple digit IQ’s will become Republican. Moderate Republicans with Democrat leanings. There is serious risk of co-opting the brand beyond its present condition.