Kristi Noem close to announcing Lt. Gov choice. But one person wants to force a convention vote against Kristi’s choice.

As is customary, Republican gubernatorial primary winner & Congresswoman Kristi Noem has announced that she is going to be making her choice for Lt. Governor known before the convention.  In an interview with Kevin Woster, Kristi is announcing the type of candidate she is going to ask to serve as her running mate:

Fresh off her June 5 win over state Attorney General Marty Jackley in bristly Republican gubernatorial primary, Noem says she’ll be busy considering possible running mates this week, and has been getting plenty of interest in that slot.

“Everybody’s asking,” she said. “We’re vetting several people right now. So we’ll probably have to make a decision within the next week, before we get to the convention.”

Noem said demographics, geography and work experience will all be part of the discussion. But she has a focus beyond that.

“You’ve got everybody who tells you who you should pick,” she said. “But for me it’s obviously somebody who could do the job in case something happened to me, and then I really want somebody who gets that the job’s not about them; it has to be about serving people. And that’s a little bit of a challenge, to find somebody with that mindset. So, we’re working through it to see who it could be.”

Read that here.

Picking who would serve in their place, and very importantly, who will represent the party’s nominee for Governor as a surrogate in the fall campaign is pretty important for a party’s Gubernatorial candidate  But, surprisingly (or not), that hasn’t deterred one malcontent from attacking Kristi’s choice before it’s even been made.

Shockingly, Senator Nelson is on Facebook today declaring that “Elections are not coronations,” and seeking to take that choice away from the GOP nominee for the office.

Really? Did I miss the part where Congresswoman Noem didn’t actually win?  Isn’t it a little early for Stace to start attacking the Republican nominee for Governor? (He used to be nice to them for a little while after they were elected).

Not that propriety has ever stopped him from attacking Republicans.

71 thoughts on “Kristi Noem close to announcing Lt. Gov choice. But one person wants to force a convention vote against Kristi’s choice.”

  1. Stace is a garbage heap with a face that looks like a baby having an allergic reaction. Why does anyone pay attention to anything he says? I get that Trump is the president now, but how about we keep these far-right crybaby conspiracy theorists in their corner with their building-blocks and their twitter accounts where they belong. Stace Nelson has no place at any level of Government. He’d make a better traffic barrier than a politician.. oh wait, he already DOES make a better traffic barrier. Everytime I think someone in SD politics can’t say or do anything more stupid, Stace and his stampede of rhinos smash the mold entirely. Congrats on being a salty bucket of failure.

    1. If she picks Mickelson I would support a challenge but not from Kaiser. He is too polarizing.

      Kristi used Kaiser.

  2. Does this guy seriously not have anything better to do? Everytime I hear a story about Stace it seems to be something monumentally stupid. How does he have supporters still?

  3. She hasn’t even MADE her choice yet. Why would he want a vote if he doesn’t even know who she’s going to pic-…… or perhaps he does know who she’ll pick and doesn’t like them? Well an enemy of Stace’s is a friend of mine, sounds like whoever Kristi picked is going to be one capable, competent, and honorable man or woman, unlike Mr. Nelson….

    1. I think Noem indicated to Mark Mickelson that she’d choose him for the lieutenant governor slot to in exchange for his decision to withdraw from the governor’s race. If so, Mickelson’s supposed departure from public life and Noem’s supposed consideration of multiple candidates for lieutenant governor are both just theater

      We’ll see.

  4. Why should a Republican nominee from Governor or the convention consider what life long Democrat Stace Nelson has to say who Kristi Noems running mate will be?

  5. “Isn’t it a little early for Stace to start attacking the Republican nominee for Governor?”

    I don’t read Nelson’s Facebook entry as an attack on any Republican, but a promotion of a conservative Republican.

    1. Then why would he demand that it come to a vote? He’s basically saying “Hey Kristi you’re too stupid to pick our Lt Governor so I’m going to pick one for you.” He’s just going to be ignored, but I’m shocked at the continuous stalwart displays of ignorance from this man. This was to be expected at this point. This is what you get when you give a child a voice, they never shut up.

      1. Your shocked and at the same time expected it. The drama and hypocrisy is getting thick. This is just another in a series of attacks on conservative.

        1. No, not attacks on conservatives. Simply complete awe at how arrogant and self-serving he continues to be. His childish behavior is mind boggling.

  6. Stace is going to taint his choice for AG with stuff like this. I can’t imagine the Noem delegates are going to take this lying down.

  7. Stace does bring up a valid point. Whoever Kristi nominates as her choice must be approved by the convention delegates. That’s how Bill Janklow ended up keeping Lt. Gov. Carole Hillard for a second term against his wishes and that’s how State Treasurer Homer Harding was renominated despite active opposition from the governor.

    Kristi can have whoever she chooses – *if* the majority of convention delegates support the choice.

    1. Who would’ve thought the Jackley supporter would side with Rhino Nelson? Still a bit salty about the Primary, Michael?

      1. I haven’t sided with anyone here, and I didn’t declare a preference in the primary until I entered the voting booth. Just observing that the SDGOP process puts the selection of the Lt. Gov. candidate in the hands of the convention. The gubernatorial candidate proposes (nominates); the convention disposes (makes the decision).

        1. Except Stace isn’t saying what you’re saying is he? He’s not saying the plain fact that the convention needs to approve the candidate’s choice, he’s saying that the convention needs to impose their own candidate before a choice has even been made, showing major disrespect to Kristi Noem and her constituents.

          1. No, Nelson is not disrespecting Kristi. Pat Powers and a small gang of anonymous hypocrites are disrespecting Nelson.

            1. Wait wait wait…let me catch my breath…”disrespecting Nelson”??? We are “disrespecting an individual who has proven time and time again that he respects nothing but his own misguided motives?

            2. Hi, Mr. Sibby. I’ve been waiting to read some of your new bloggings. Please hurry as nobody knows how much longer any of us have on this earth.

              PS: there is no god, and I’m a more nationally known writer than Mr. Randazzo

            3. Steve, Nelson used robocalls to attack Republican legislators who voted for a spending cut, (a spending CUT!), lied about it, made his friends take the fall, forced another former Marine out of the legislature (who, being a Real Man, admitted his mistakes, apologized and resigned, unlike the Big Coward) and now criticizes Republicans who voted for Rounds in the general election.

              Nobody is disrespecting him. He’s doing enough damage to himself.

  8. She just won a decisive victory to be our Governor nominee, a nominee who raising the issues he just listed, and the party needs a safeguard? And, that safeguard is a person who just got 34% of the vote in his home county?

    You just can’t make this “stuff” up.

    1. 34% and burned a lot of Bridges in Brown County too. Kristi is in a good position to pick with better options.

  9. The best news I can give this group – and my wife – is to say I am not aware of being vetted for Lt. Gov. and no one has approached me soliciting my interest in the position.

  10. Skeptic,

    Your “moniker” is far from accurate. I’d call you something beyond cynical because you are spreading a story for which you have no evidence, it infers dishonesty on both Noem and Mickelson, and on the surface it makes no sense (if they cut a deal, why didn’t Mickelson endorse her? Why didn’t he encourage his closest advisors to endorse and work for her?).

    Using your standards, I could just speculate your entire motive of your post was the slur Mickelson and what a great ticket it would make because you have your own preferred choice. But that would be cynical wouldn’t it?

    1. I don’t have my own preferred choice, but Mickelson has been a bit of a control freak in his last term, and I think he could use a couple of years off to recenter.

  11. 12-5-21. Nomination of state candidates not voted on at primary–Presidential electors and national committee members. The state convention shall nominate candidates for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, commissioner of school and public lands, and public utilities commissioner and in the years when a President of the United States is to be elected, presidential electors and national committeeman and national committeewoman of the party.
    Source: SL 1917, ch 234, § 30; RC 1919, § 7108; SL 1929, ch 118, § 55; SL 1933, ch 100; SL 1937, ch 120, § 5; SDC 1939, § 16.0240; SL 1939, ch 77; SL 1941, ch 78; SL 1951, ch 91; SL 1965, ch 86; SL 1974, ch 118, § 35.

    1. I’m VERY comfortable voting to approve whomever Kristi picks. I trusted her in Congress. I trust her as my governor.

      She’ll pick the right person, and I’ll vote straight ticket R come November.

  12. grudznick must ask myself, “who is better suited to pick a running mate to help Ms. Noem for the general election: the candidate that drubbed Mr. Jackley or Stace Nelson?”

    Hmmm. Mr. Kaiser, who can’t get 40% in a vote in his home county, or Mr. Rhoden who got second in the US Senate race and bested Mr. Nelson.

    This is a quandry, indeed. Imagine if we stuck Ms. Noem with, say, Mr. Sibby as a running mate. Governor Sutton would laugh and laugh and laugh.

  13. Stace has already stated in several Facebook posts that only RINOs voted for Rounds in the general election, so it can be expected that he will say the same thing about Noem voters.his friends are already saying it about Dusty Johnson supporters.

    So since Stace isn’t going to support the Republican slate of candidates anyway, he should just be booted out of the convention.

  14. Many say that Kristi owes the win to the Kaiser family’s support, and that Rep. Kaiser hurt his election prospects for doing so. Is her campaign now saying she’s against Representative Kaiser? How is Senator Nelson supporting conservative Dan Kaiser, a big Noem ally, an attack on Noem…

    1. Are you serious? Damages are $1.5 mm and Lt. Governor for her husband? You are making Kaiser look like a moron.

    2. You’re the only one who’s says that. Nelson is directly undermining one of the first major decisions of our gubernatorial nominee. I wouldn’t call it an “attack”…I can’t stand that kind of language, but it is disrespectful.

  15. Wow, somebody can cut and paste SD Codified Laws. I wonder if they can use google and read history?

    Being impressed with oneself when one is laughed at is a pathology.

  16. Mr. Litz, I did point out without actually typing “Third Place Stace” in my blogging at 5:50 blog time. grudznick said:

    … Mr. Rhoden who got second in the US Senate race and bested Mr. Nelson.

    I am happy to stand corrected and point out that Mr. Nelson also lost most counties in his region and was defeated very soundly by the counties with the highest percentage of veterans voting, especially veterans who served in areas outside the green zone.

  17. I will be against anyone Stace Nelson is supporting always!

    That includes:

    Lance Russell
    John Fitzgerald
    Dan Kaiser

  18. Hey Stace I can do it too! I nominate Charlie Brown, likeable guy, nice and polite and when Lucy pulls the football away from him, he gets right back up! I nominate Charlie Brown for LT.
    please do not attend the convention Mr. Stace Nelson If this is how you are going to act. Do us all a favor and stay home!

  19. Nothing would be better than if people actually ran for LG at a convention. Until 1972 people ran for it in the ballot.

    Why not allow them to run?

    I nominate Marty Jackley if we are nominating people. Maybe Kristi and Kaiser can come out and smear him and take him out again with some serious exagerations. This time they can say it to our face.

    I have a hard enough time condoning the nasty campaign Kristi ran. I’d never vote for Kaiser as her LG.

    In fact Russell can promise me that Kaiser will not be anywhere near DCI and he gets my support also.

    I dont support smearing people and reward them with LG positions.

    I’d also happily rubber stamp Rhoden.

  20. I served with Stacey Nelson. He threw me under the bus because I changed my mind on his Open Fields bill after a formidable argument was made in committee by GF&P against Nelson’s bill which I mistakenly said I could support. (Hint to all current Legislators-Don’t have anything to do with Stacey Nelson) none of you are perfect enough for him. Now I feel sorry for Dan Kaiser who is a good guy and good Cop blessed with Stacey Nelson’s kiss of death.
    Beside all the obvious self gratifying drama Stacey Nelson has injected into this it would appear only a cold day in Hell would find the SD GOP not approving the Lt. Gov picked by the SD GOP candidate for Governor who just beat one of the toughest and smartest to ever run for the seat.
    The best of all possible to both Governor Noem and her Lt. Gov.

    1. Charlie because you had changed your mind on his Open Fields is that when life long Democrat Stace Nelson started calling you 180, 360 degrees?

      1. That was Bob Mercer that nicknamed Charlie Hoffman that.

        Representative Hoffman may want to do some light reading and review SD history. Many cases in the past where the governor nominee didn’t get to pick the LtGov and the delegates went against their preference.

  21. The Gubernatorial Nominee should be able to pick their running mate. Unless Kristi picks someone extraordinarily awful, I (like most delegates) will support whoever she nominates to be her LG.

  22. Anon I assume that but of course assumptions are nothing more than educated guesses. It might have started when I squirmed around the wrong way for Stacey’s likings in the Men’s bathroom. LOL

  23. Nelson is a cancer that needs to be taken our of the government of South Dakota. He is unethical and useless as a politician. Anyone that associates themselves with Nelson should be ashamed.

    Does anyone know every candidate that Nelson is supporting or endorsed? We should do everything we can to ensure they don’t win.

    1. He may have posted all his endorsements/supportees over on the Heidleburglars page because that is where he does most of his posting (since Mr. Power’s page isn’t “conservative” enough for him?)…or on a Facebook page called South Dakota Public Safety Matters which advertises itself as a “group to discuss matters of importance to public safety professionals in South Dakota” but is actually just a campaign page for a FOS&C (Friend of Stace & Chislic)

      1. That is incorrect. South Dakota Public Safety matters was started by the Fitzgeralds. I was put into it involuntarily and the only postings are propaganda for Fitzgerald.

        It does not promote public safety matters at all.

        Stace Nelson, Shad Olson and Sam Kephardt are regular contributors along with the Fitzgerald surrogates that told me all I needed to know.

        1. Okay, then that means Nelson’s main outlet is still the Liberal blogs and whatever Facebook rock he peeks out from under?

        2. Wait, so Stace Nelson, Shad Olson,Sam Kephardt, and Fitzgerald created create a “fake” safety page to promote their campaigns. The more I hear about Fitzgerald the more I can’t believe anything coming out of his mouth. For Fitzgerald who promotes himself as this upholding of the law it sure seems he is willing to go the unethical route, which includes working with Stace.

  24. Nelson isn’t a leader. Leaders make tough calls, they don’t hide in bathrooms. Leaders can work with people. He can’t. Kaiser should avoid the association.

    Possible picks for Noem? Rhoden, Rave, McCaulley, Mickelson, Seward, ???

  25. Kaiser just posted this:

    Good Morning Folks!
    Recently there was a Facebook page created (I am not an administrator to that page) urging Congresswoman Noem to ask me to be her Lt Gov choice. I am humbled at the thought but to my knowledge, I am not being vetted for the position and think its unlikely. I thank everyone for their support and will wait with excitement for when she does announce her choice which I trust will be excellent. I look forward to helping her win the general election in November and she has my full endorsement!

    Thank you,
    Rep. Dan Kaiser
    District 3, Aberdeen

    1. Good to see Dan distance himself from this movement.

      What do you know another Stace Nelson pipedream goes down in flames!

  26. Just received a Robocall from Laura Kaiser supporting Lance Russell for AG.
    The plot thickens…….

    1. (Jaws theme song) duunnn dunnn… duuuunnnn duun… duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn

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