The Down-ticket report part 2. Who is running, who isn’t, and why are there so darned many primaries?

After the first 15 Districts, I had to take a break… mainly because I was hitting my work hours, and needed to actually do something.  But, now that I’m past the appointed hours of my toils, and I’m the most boring person in the world on Friday night, time to get back to the list, and who is running in the South Dakota State Legislative races as of March 11th.

 

District 16

Senate:

Jim Bolin (R)
Nancy Rasmussen (R)

House: 

Kevin Jensen (R)
Richard Vasgaard (R)
Karla Lems (R)

Count off another 2 primary elections here, with Bolin v Nancy, and the Jensen – Vasgaard – Lems race. BUT, there are also rumors of intrigue here. I’ve heard Bolin could drop out, and Jensen move up, leaving Vasgaard and Lems to the House. But they seem to be under some impression that Nancy Rasmussen does not know how to campaign. She does, and she’s pretty good at it. But, that’s all a lot of water cooler chatter at the moment.

 

District 17

Senate:

Sydney Davis (R)

House: 

Bill Shorma (R)
Chris Kassin (R)

There are rumors of a Democrat jumping in the Senate race, but until it happens, I’m not going to speculate for reasons that will become apparent if it happens. Whether it does or not, State Rep. Sydney Davis will beat the tar out of all comers.  In the House, there’a solid lineup of Republicans, who might be hard to beat. There’s rumor of a House primary, but they’d need to bring a pretty strong candidate to even have a shot at taking second place.

 

District 18

Senate:

Jean Hunhoff (R)

House: 

Ryan Cwach (D)
Mike Stevens (R)
Julie Auch (R)

There were and still are rumors that Ryan Cwach might run for Senate, but I think either scenario is not necessarily looking good for him. Jean Hunhoff is as strong as ever, and would walk all over him. With two Republicans in the House, he may find himself challenged just to stay in.

 

District 19

Senate:

Kyle Schoenfish (R)

House: 

Jessica Bahmuller (R)
Caleb Finck (R)
Drew Peterson (R)

Is Kyle going to get off this election with a safe ad unchallenged seat? Could be. Because the House is going to be a battle royale to watch with Caleb Finck, Drew Peterson, and Jessica Bahmuller.  I wouldn’t even try to pick a winner. All know how to campaign, and all will fight hard.

 

District 20

Senate:

Joshua Klumb (R)

House: 

Ben Krohmer (R)
Lance Koth (R)
Jeff Bathke (R)
Alex Borman (D)

Democrats might dig up a candidate at the last minute to run for the senate.. or maybe not. Here’s another seat where the incumbent could get off scott free.  Lance Koth is an incumbent, so he’s fine, the question is who will come in second.

 

District 21

Senate:

Erin Tobin (R)
Dan Andersson (D)

House: 

Marty Overweg (R)
Rocky Blare (R)

No action in the house, and… Oh.. is that the same Democrat whose rear-end Erin Tobin kicked by over 5600 votes in 2020?  Apparently there is no action in the Senate either.

 

District 22

Senate:

David Wheeler (R)

House: 

Roger Chase (R)
Lynn Schneider (R)

All is silent in D22. There were rumors that Lana Greenfield might run for Senate after being termed in the House, but I think those have faded.

 

District 23

Senate:

Bryan Breitling (R)

House: 

Spencer Gosch (R) – at the moment
JD Wangness (R)

As noted in an earlier story, there are rumors that Spencer Gosch might be considering a run for higher office. And, he’s refusing to say.  Supposedly, he is rumored to be carrying both petitions, one for the House and one for the Senate.   If he triggers a Senate primary, Bryan Breitling is sure to be well funded. If he remains in the House, given the lack of interest at the moment, he’s probably in a safe seat with Charlie Hoffman’s departure.

 

District 24

Senate:

Mary Duvall (R)
Jim Mehlhaff (R)

House: 

Will Mortenson (R)
Mike Weisgram (R)
Mary Beth Weinheimer (R)

Pierre and it’s neighboring area became a hotbed of primary challengers this year. In the Senate, Mary Duvall only came in second once – in her first House race in 2012, when her opponent had the Rounds last name, and they both beat incumbent Mark Venner.  Ever since, she’s been the first place finisher.  Facing conservative challenger Jim Mehlhaff, a Pierre City Commissioner, this will be a hard fought primary, but I think Duvall has the edge. The District has added Haakon County and she has a strong ag background. Keep watching this one.

And in the House, Mary Beth Weinheimer is jumping in to challenge incumbent House members Will Mortenson and Mike Weisgram. My biggest question would be, “Why?” Both are strong incumbents, they are very, very good campaigners, and there’s no constituency that would be mad at them. This challenge seems more about ambition, and claiming be be more conservative than the conservatives that are already there.  I don’t think this goes anywhere.

 

District 25

Senate:

Marsha Symens (R)
Kevin Crisp (R)
Lisa Rave (R)

House: 

Randy Gross (R)
Jon Hansen (R)
Tom Pischke (R)

Here’s another hotbed and focus of palace intrigue and rumors. In the Senate, Lisa Rave is challenging to run for the Senate seat she was denied when Kris Langer dropped out the race in 2020 and was replaced by Symens by precinct people. Lisa will run hard, and raise a lot of money, and has a lot of knowledge behind her.

However, it is rumored that Symens may drop out, and Tom Pischke may withdraw from the House race, and run for the Senate, which would leave just two running for the House. BUT.. Jon Hansen’s petition isn’t in yet. I’ve also heard speculation he may run skip running for the legislature for a constitutional office.  Any way you slice it, I think there might be changes to come in this lineup.

 

District 26

Senate:

Joel Koskan (R)
Shawn Bordeaux (D)

House: 

Rebecca Reimer (R – 26B)

First there was a primary with Christian Skunk & Joel Koskan in the Senate. Then there wasn’t, leaving Joel Koskan to run against Democrat Shawn Bordeaux. This district might be better for Republicans than in the past, which would be a plus for Koskan, who has run twice before and came within less than 500 votes at his closest.

Reimer is safe in the House, and the slate in 26A is yet to be set, so not much to say about the House race at this time.

 

District 27

Senate:

Foster Red Dawn (D)
Florence Thompson (R)
David Jones (R)

House: 

Liz May (R)
Peri Pourier (D)

Again, this District is said to be better than before for the GOP, and recruiting is still afoot, so watch for that House race to change.  But the Senate contest… David Jones should destroy “Flossie” a.k.a. Florence Thompson, who was a terrible candidate in her first outing in 2012.. But she came uncomfortably close in 2020, coming in third by 46 votes.  I’d better call David Jones and offer him any support I can give.

 

District 28

Senate:

Ryan Maher (R)

House: 

Oren Lesmeister (D – 28A)
Neal Pinnow (R – 28B)

Ryan Maher wins elections, and he will continue to do so, that is, if he’s even challenged at all.  Otherwise, unless Republicans can recruit in 28A, and Democrats in 28B, this is likely to be the outcome in the fall.

 

District 29

Senate:

Dean Wink (R)

House: 

Kirk Chaffee (R)
Gary Cammack (R)
Roger Gallimore (R)
Kathy Rice (R)

There’s chatter that former legislator Tom Brunner might jump in one of the races, but I think Wink is pretty solid in the Senate. If anyone is foolish enough to take him on, the former Philadelphia Eagles Left Defensive Tackle is not going to be out-campaigned.  In the House, it should be former Senate Majority Leader Gary Cammack, and incumbent Kirk Chaffee. There might be some mud thrown by challengers, but I don’t think this configuration is going to change.

 

District 30

Senate:

Julie Frye-Mueller (R)
Tim Goodwin (R)

House: 

Trish Ladner (R)
Lisa Gennaro (R)
Dennis Krull (R)
Patrick Baumann (R)
Gerrold “JR” Herrick (R)

In the House, that’s a big primary with lots of candidates.  Incumbent Trish Ladner should have some additional traction, but in a 5-way primary, who knows. Victory will go to the best campaigner.

In the Senate, please send your donations to Tim Goodwin at 12870 J Pine Road, Rapid City, SD 57702. Because Julie Frye Mueller is just awful. And I can tell you he will run a strong race against Mueller, whom hopefully we have seen the last of.

 

District 31

Senate:

Ron Moeller (R)
Randy Deibert (R)

House: 

Mary Fitzgerald (R)
Scott Odenbach (R)

With Tim Johns out, anything goes in the Senate Race, and it will be up to the best campaigner. Ron Moeller has been working it, and Randy Deibert comes from the County Commission, so people will have seen his name on the ballot before. Otherwise, likely no change in the House at this time.

 

District 32

Senate:

Helene Duhamel (R)

House: 

Becky Drury (R)
Steve Duffy (R)
Christine Stephenson (D)

Senator Helene Duhamel is in a safe seat at the moment.. and her husband happens to have also filed papers with the Secretary of State, specifically a statement of organization yesterday to run for District 32 House. Rounding out the GOP ticket is Becky Drury.  Word is that there are more Dems coming to the race, but for all the bluster of the local right wingers, they aren’t putting anyone up at this time, so this GOP ticket may stand.

 

District 33

Senate:

David Johnson (R)

House: 

Phil Jensen (R)
Dean Aurand (R)
Curt Massie (R)
Vince Vidal (D)

Is David Johnson going to get a bye? Unless Democrat Ryan Ryder who ran against him before wants to give him another go after his withdrawal from the Congressional race, it just may be. In the GOP House Primary, Aurand and Massie stand a good chance of the legislature finally getting rid of Phil Jensen, but he’s had tough races before and snuck back in.

 

District 34

Senate:

Michael Diedrich (R)

House: 

Mike Derby (R)
Jess Olson (R)
Christopher Twiggs (D)
Darla Drew (D)

I’m not sure why I’m bothering writing anything. Diedrich in the Senate, Derby & Olson in the House. There. Done. The Democrats are immaterial to the election in this District.

 

District 35

Senate:

Jessica Castleberry (R)

House: 

Tina Mulally (R)
Tony Randolph (R)
David Hubbard (D)

Jessica Castleberry might be one of the hardest campaigners in the Rapid City area, and she was tested within a few months of her appointment to the office in January of 2020. So far, nobody wants any of that.

Not Kevin Quick (a.k.a., Kevin the felon) who ran against her in the primary and lost 72% to 28%, or the weird Brian Gentry who took her on as an independent in the general and got House members Tina Mulally and Tony Randolph to become traitors to the GOP and endorse him in that race.   It didn’t matter, as Jessica dispatched Gentry definitively by 2300 votes, 62% – 38%.

Speaking of the GOP’s quisling D35 House members Mulally & Randolph, the word is that there could be more Republicans entering this contest.  We can hope. (If anyone in D35 is interested, drop me a note).

And that’s where the races site as of March 11th, 2020. The deadline is March 29th at 5pm, so hang on to your seats –  it’s going to get bumpier!