State Rep. Kevin Jensen to run for GOP Chair against State Senator John Wiik. Jensen PAC funded campaigns against Noem, Schoenbeck.

@SoDakCampaigns

State Representative Kevin Jensen, first elected to the House in 2016, has announced his candidacy for State Republican Party chair against State Senator John Wiik, who has received endorsements from a significant portion of County GOP Elected officials, as well as nearly all statewide elected officials.

According to a report this morning from The Dakota Scout:

Canton lawmaker Kevin Jensen told The Dakota Scout Tuesday evening that he will formally announce his candidacy for the position being vacated next month by long-time state Republican chairman Dan Lederman.

Jensen will face off against John Wiik, the state senator from Watertown who has the backing of the GOP establishment, including nearly every statewide elected official.

“I like John, and John and I have run a lot of bills together,” Jensen said in a phone interview. “But we have different ideas on how the party should run.”

Read that here.

While Senator Wiik is closely allied with Governor Kristi Noem, this last election cycle as funded largely by his new seatmate Rep. – Elect Karla Lems, Jensen formed a political action committee called “Keep South Dakota Red.” The PAC backed at least a few candidates challenging incumbents, including Colin Paulsen, who challenged Senate President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck, and the Steve Haugaard for Governor campaign running against Governor Noem.

Keep SD Red Disclosure by Pat Powers on Scribd

 

In the fall, Jensen’s PAC in part funded both his own and Karla Lems’ fall races for the House.

It remains to be seen how Jensen would gain the support of Senate Leadership and the Governor to achieve party goals after directing efforts against both.

Stay tuned. I’m sure we will be hearing more to come.

16 thoughts on “State Rep. Kevin Jensen to run for GOP Chair against State Senator John Wiik. Jensen PAC funded campaigns against Noem, Schoenbeck.”

  1. Bill Metz probably doesn’t like that his money was used to trash Noem. He is one of the main reasons she was elected to congress. I get that they don’t always see eye to eye but he would be very upset I bet.

  3. Was Kevin Jensen at the convention and if so, how did he vote on the resolution endorsing the re-elections of Thune, Johnson and Noem?
    Let’s see the videotape

      1. it doesn’t matter if he supported the candidacies of the people who ran for the constitutional offices, they had a legitimate right to be considered for those positions and the delegates were entitled to vote for them. My question is, did he support the candidates who had already won their nominations and were already on their way to the general election?
        At the convention, a large group of people stood up to be counted as being opposed to the re-elections of the three people who had already been nominated.
        This should not have been allowed and if were up to me, the sergeant at arms would have escorted every single one of them out of the building and they should have been stripped of their credentials..If you are not going to support the party’s nominees, you have no business being there. Go to the Democrats’ convention.

  4. It’s about time a true conservative gives us a chance to vote out the democratic arm of the republican party who have taken over leadership roles. Conservative republicans need to stand up and vote for Jensen.

    1. again, the entire purpose of the Republican party is to get Republicans elected. If somebody wins a Republican primary, that candidate should receive the full support of the Republican party. This should be non-negotiable.
      If a person cannot enthusiastically support the nominees, he shouldn’t hold a leadership position in the party organization, he should find some other way to support candidates and causes he likes.

  5. Question: Who supports continued losing in Ronna McDaniel and who supports trying someone new like Harmeet Dillon?

  7. Copied from Dakota Scout (lazy yes) 🙃:

    Charlie Hoffman
    3 min ago
    Both are not only good men but great leaders and workaholics. As I told Assistant Majority Leader Noem when announcing her bid for the US House in 2010, I’m sorry but I signed on already with Blake Curd, and again to then Congresswoman Noem in 2018’s Gubernatorial primary, I’m sorry but I already signed on with Marty Jackley. Kevin I’m sorry but I’ve already signed on with John Wiik and I never change horses mid-stream. The best to you Sir!

  8. I’ve watched them both for a few years. Only one of these men has displayed the ability to lead, motivate and organize and that is John Wiik.

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