Seeking political opportunity, Taffy Howard makes hard shift away from political establishment she previously embraced

In the article last night from Dakota News Now, it was noted that “In recent weeks, Howard has begun to appeal to the more conservative faction of Republicans in the state” in an effort to gain traction prior to an announcement for Congress.  But it wasn’t always so. Because there once was a time where Taffy Howard was eager to express her full-throated support to what some may term “the political establishment.”

It appears that ever since Howard was elected and started serving in the State House in 2017, she has moved away from the Republicans whom Howard had previously embraced openly and publicly, and found a home alongside members of the legislature who tack as hard as they can to the right.

But don’t take my word that Taffy had previously been all-in for the political establishment.  Because you can read Howard’s own words as they appeared in print at various times in the Rapid City Journal:

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However, after her election to the State House, Howard had stopped writing gushing letters about candidates and started attacking officeholders, including Governor Daugaard, and especially Governor Kristi Noem.

Governor Noem has been a particular target for Taffy’s firebrand practices in the political arena, as Howard has taken several hits at the Governor regarding security expenses for protecting the Governor, on the transgendered athlete ban issue, which found Taffy declaring that “sometimes litigation is necessary,” over the Governor’s more measured approach, and filing an unsuccessful lawsuit to block Noem’s 2019 initiative to expand broadband internet into rural South Dakota.

Given the number of attacks and level of her rhetoric against the popular Republican Governor, one would expect that Howard would be taking Noem on in a primary for Governor.

BUT, having seen Noem’s popularity skyrocket among South Dakota Republicans and Kristi hitting the national stage, despite her constant criticism of the Governor and apparent ambition, Representative Howard knows that taking Noem on would be a losing battle, so she’s selected what she thinks is an easier target in Dusty Johnson.

However (as noted in a previous post) whether Dusty Johnson can be overcome in connection with Howard’s desire to move up the political ladder remains to be seen.

9 thoughts on “Seeking political opportunity, Taffy Howard makes hard shift away from political establishment she previously embraced”

  1. Another in the long line of State Legislators that are more impressed with themselves than anyone else is. Further, her ability to make positive changes in policy, let alone any changes in law is dubious at best. 2 bills out of 19 that she prime sponsored the last 4 years have advanced to the Governor’s desk. Not exactly anything to brag about.

  2. Governor Noem’s team should be very nervous about starting out at the top of the polls so early in the race. When there is nowhere to go but down, downward inertia can generate an unstoppable force.

    From her own words last weekend, Ms. Howard is not climbing any ladders, but rather acting on the combined wills of thousands of figureheads who saw Thune whip votes against election integrity, Johnson send-out vaccine reminders, among other deplorable public actions. If the vaccines are dangerous within an 18 month window as Dr. Sherri Tenpenny predicts, this will be a huge issue heading into midterms.

    The “establishment” has lots of ammo to shoot everybody in the foot, ushering in their left hand to control SD (remember, we really only have one party and controlled opposition here).

    We could see Thune, Johnson, and Noem ushered out of office in a historic sweep in an Internet age when money doesn’t buy you as much love as it used to. Governor Noem’s joker card is the cannais issue. Governor Lora Hubbel?

    It’s a predicament!

    Governor Noem has an important decision to make regarding whether or not she is with Trump and America, or globalists and forced vaccinations. I think the choice is clear, but history will ultimately judge.

    Sometimes, like with inflation, it’s tough to measure till after it’s happened.

    It is possible that the shift away from all three of these political candidates has already happened. Thankfully, so many have woken up from FaceBook’s spying apparatus, that this information can’t be known reliably.

    Side note: Hilariously, Thune is cow towing and painfully smiling to young SD social justice warriors on the steps of the capitol. Did Thune screw-up his opportunity to be Senate Majority Leader by not saying N-O to a turtle? Enquiring minds want to know.

    Are SD ballot boxes safe? Who is looking at OUR voter rolls?

    With tools like FaceBook, what politicians can say in their campaigns can be dictated by what they think the majority of people want to hear. If people have woken up to FaceBook tyranny as such, FaceBook data mining becomes far less comprehensive and accurate, and politicians will have to state their values, prove the origins of said values, and campaign on those in hopes they map to the will of the body politic.

    In South Dakota politics right now, it’s a buyer’s market?

  3. John the term I think you’re looking for is kowtow. Or if you believe Sen. Thune is leading cows around, so be it. The 5G might be getting to you, who knows? Stay cool.

      1. Don’t be silly. You tow trailers, not cows. Or heifers. Or bulls. The ones with real solid EPD’s should just be left in the pasture to visit upon the herd. They’ll tow themselves.

        Grammar smack is as lively as a bad bag?

    1. Grammar smack. What is this, 2002?

      Did Ms. Howard’s comments come before or after Senator Thune whipped votes for Biden’s election?

      But you are correct about the spelling of Cowtow. It is completely incorrect.

      But what about the other stuff?

      Would love to have your comments on that .. it’ll take more than a spell check to figure them out.

      Get to work.

      🙂

  4. Young Ms. Howard no doubt has big surprises in the works. Some say she is taking advice from Mr. Nelson and Ms. May, a duo many would say are insaner than most, but also a duo some feel comprise the blandest minds in South Dakota politics. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are planning to add a little Cajun seasoning to their thoughts this next year, and Ms. Howard is a Naga Viper pepper in a sun dress.

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