Investing in America
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
July 10, 2026

BIG Update

It’s been a little over a year since the Working Families Tax Cuts became law. This landmark legislation prevented the largest tax hike in American history, preserves the American Dream for the next generation, and supports workers, parents, seniors, and main street businesses. As this bill is implemented, families and workers across the country are starting to see the benefits. If you’re curious about how this legislation will impact you, visit Working Families Tax Cuts to see the benefits to your family and Americans across the country.

BIG Idea

Global demand for biofuels supports farm incomes and drives investment in our rural communities. S&P Global Energy predicts biofuel production could triple over the next 25 years, and the United States is well positioned to supply a growing share of that demand. If America doesn’t meet growing global biofuel demand, other countries will. The benefits of biofuels extend beyond supporting farmers by providing consumers with a more affordable option at the pump. Permanent, year-round sale of E15 has already passed the House with my support. I wrote an op-ed in The Hill outlining the need for biofuel policy that supports American agricultural and energy needs.

Click here or the image above to read Johnson’s op-ed

BIG News

The Hot Springs Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Clinic’s dialysis center has resumed serving patients after I engaged with Secretary Doug Collins to share the importance of this critical service for veterans in western South Dakota. For many veterans, traveling more than 100 miles round trip multiple times each week for dialysis created an unnecessary burden on those already facing serious health challenges. I’ve remained engaged with VA leadership, urging continued investment in the services South Dakota veterans rely on and working to ensure they have access to quality care closer to home. Dialysis is lifesaving treatment. While it took longer than I hoped, I’m grateful the VA restored this service, allowing more veterans to receive the care they need without spending hours on the road.

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Coming off of their election night victory, the Doeden for Governor campaign seemed to have found it’s footing, picking up a few endorsements from fellow Republican candidates, and clipping along. But as we get closer, they seems to be going back to some bad habits they had from the primary. This week we’ve seen somewhat undisciplined activity and what appears to be an outright false attack as the race tightens moving towards the finish line.

What am I talking about?  First off, on Wednesday we were treated to this text message blast from Toby’s captive Political Action Committee that he funds to the exclusion of nearly all other funding, Dakota First Action.

The text message blast claimed that former Democrat legislator Nancy Turbak, a pro-choice advocate, is funding Rhoden’s campaign because they reported a check from the Turbak law office .

The problem with that assumption is that there’s people running that office other than Nancy.

Via Fred Deutsch, confirmation from the Turbak Law Office that Nancy sold her office and isn’t there anymore. I’m presuming she’s enjoying retirement, and has nothing to do with who or what the office named for her supports anymore.

I don’t think that the error has forced the Doeden campaign to do anything in terms of an “oops” or change the attack, but it ends up looking a bit silly that they can’t get it right.

Then yesterday, there was unforced error #2.

Corey DeAngelis apparently endorses Toby Doeden, and it looks like they put together a graphic declaring this. Apparently, this guy is a self-declared “school choice evangelist.”

They problem is, he also appears to have been a gay porn actor:

A school-privatization activist and frequent Fox News guest whose work has been praised by former President Donald Trump was placed on leave by his conservative nonprofit employer after reports that he had appeared in gay pornography videos surfaced.

and..

A person who resembles DeAngelis and performs under the name “Seth Rose” appears in at least three gay adult films on the pornography site GayHoopla dating to 2014. In the videos, “Seth Rose” does not have sexual contact with other performers; rather, he appears in scenes masturbating solo or alongside other men. The existence of the videos was first reported last week by the blog Str8 Up Gay Porn, which shares gay porn and articles about sex.

Read that report from NBC News.

and…

Following allegations that “parental rights” activist Corey DeAngelis has appeared in gay adult films, the right-wing school choice organization American Federation for Children (AFC) has placed DeAngelis on leave, the organization confirms to Them.

Read that here.

Is gay porn – or any porn for that matter – part of the school choice debate?  I’m told he has endorsed other insurgent republicans in recent months, and “they chased him out of town.”

It really makes a person ask who is making the decisions on the attacks and endorsements? Does no one vet these things?

18 days to go. I don’t know if it can come soon enough.

 

Erickson Declared Winner of Recount

SIOUX FALLS–Sioux Falls Mayor-elect Christine Erickson released the following statement upon being certified the winner of the mayoral election recount.

“The results were clear on June 23 and again today after the recount. I won the election and I will be the next mayor of Sioux Falls. Thank you to everyone who has stood by my side throughout this entire campaign. I’m ready to get to work as mayor,” said Erickson.

The final recount tally for Erickson was 18,281 and 18,277 for Smith.

In the days ahead, Erickson will continue to prepare to assume the position of mayor.

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Tourism Coalition of South Dakota Endorses Governor Larry Rhoden in July 28 Republican Gubernatorial Runoff 

YANKTON, S.D. – The Tourism Coalition of South Dakota (TCSD) today announced its endorsement of Governor Larry Rhoden in the July 28 Republican gubernatorial runoff election. 

Tourism is one of South Dakota’s largest industries, supporting nearly 60,000 jobs, thousands of small businesses, and communities across the state. TCSD believes South Dakota needs a Governor who understands the significant impact the visitor economy has on businesses, families, and communities—and Governor Rhoden has demonstrated that understanding throughout his years of public service. 

During his time as a legislator, Lieutenant Governor, and now Governor, Rhoden has supported South Dakota’s tourism industry and recognizes its role as a major economic driver. Tourism generates state and local tax revenues, supports small businesses, strengthens communities, and helps reduce the tax burden on South Dakota residents. 

“Governor Rhoden understands that tourism benefits every South Dakotan,” said Carmen Schramm, Executive Director of the Tourism Coalition of South Dakota. “Our industry has worked hard to build a strong visitor economy, and we need a Governor who understands its impact, values the people behind it, and will continue working with us to protect and grow it.” 

The Tourism Coalition of South Dakota believes Governor Larry Rhoden has the experience, understanding, and proven record needed to continue moving South Dakota and its tourism industry forward. 

TCSD proudly endorses Governor Larry Rhoden for the Republican nomination for Governor and encourages voters to make their voices heard on or before Tuesday, July 28. 

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Attorney General Jackley Announces Pierre Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding South Dakota Medicaid Program

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a Pierre woman has pleaded guilty to one felony count of Grand Theft after earlier being charged with defrauding the South Dakota Medicaid Program of more than $588,000 in federal and state funds.

Sharon Laraye Monson, 49, entered the guilty plea Thursday in Hughes County Circuit Court. She faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison when sentenced Aug. 25.  As part of a plea agreement, she has agreed to pay $500,000 in restitution to the South Dakota Department of Social Services.

Monson stole the money when she was the owner of At Home Nursing in Pierre. The charges occurred from May 1, 2018 to Jan. 1, 2024.

The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud, Abuse and Neglect Services Unit.

This release is provided in compliance with the federal Stevens Amendment: The South Dakota Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling approximately $1,033,972 for Federal Fiscal Year 2026. The remaining 25%, totaling approximately $334,656 for Federal Fiscal Year 2026, was funded by the State of South Dakota.

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State Senator Tom Pischke is preparing to become “plea deal Pischke” with regards to the charges brought against him by the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney for falsifying election documents:

The case may not reach such a hearing, tentatively scheduled for August, if a plea deal is reached.

“I believe we have a plea deal” for Pischke, said Minnehaha County State’s Attorney Daniel Haggar. He did not elaborate.

After the hearing, Kolbeck confirmed that plea deal discussions are ongoing but said a deal is not yet “imminent.” Pischke declined to comment.

Read the entire story here.

 

Gov. Rhoden Receives Funding from Trump Administration for ICE Support

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced that the Trump Administration has provided $150,418 to the South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP) for SDHP’s 287(g) agreement with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The state anticipates further funding under the agreement as operations continue.

“Public safety is my number one priority, and I am grateful that President Trump shares the same commitment to keeping our state and all of America safe,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “Our partnership with ICE has delivered strong results, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the Trump Administration as we work to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.”

This financial support is directly allocated toward personnel payroll, specialized field equipment, and information technology (IT) stipends to support the agency’s coordinated enforcement efforts. Currently, the SDHP has 40 state troopers participating in the program. On May 18th, Governor Rhoden announced the expansion of troopers who would be trained under the partnership.

State Troopers have assisted in more than 204 immigration-related arrests involving individuals unlawfully present in the United States who were encountered during routine patrols across South Dakota. Those enforcement actions included individuals accused of a wide range of criminal offenses, including murder, assault on law enforcement, and felony and misdemeanor drug crimes.

“The 287(g) framework gives our troopers the training and access to federal resources needed to properly identify individuals we encounter during the course of our duties,” said Colonel Casey Collins, Superintendent of the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “These cases have involved individuals accused of serious violent offenses as well as drug-related crimes. This program is a strong example of the partnerships that help us protect South Dakota’s communities.”

The Department of Corrections (DOC) and the South Dakota National Guard (SDNG) have also continued to work with ICE as part of this state-federal partnership.

DOC submitted additional inmates for parole to federal custody and deportation. So far, 25 inmates have been paroled directly to ICE custody. Four additional inmates were approved at the parole board meeting in June and are in process, and four more will be considered in July. Removing illegal criminal aliens saves South Dakota taxpayers an average of over $34,000 in annual cost per inmate.

The SDNG deployment of seven guardsmen has continued since last fall. These active-duty soldiers in Sioux Falls and Rapid City are helping process deportations, acting as a force multiplier for South Dakota ICE officers. Through July 2, the SDNG has assisted directly in processing 807 illegal immigrants who have been deported out of South Dakota. The guard costs have been paid directly with federal funds.

Governor Rhoden previously activated the SDNG and sent letters of intent to establish the 287(g) agreements. You can find the DOC letter here and the SDHP letter here.

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From KELOland News, State Senator Tom Pischke is in court today fighting the charges that he falsified election documents:

Republican state lawmaker Tom Pischke appeared in a Minnehaha County courtroom Tuesday, where his attorney entered a not guilty plea to election fraud charges on Pischke’s behalf.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for Aug. 21, but Pischke’s attorney Ryan Kolbeck said this will change. Kolbeck says a plea deal for his client is possible but not imminent.

Read the entire story here.

I was informed earlier this evening that this morning, Sioux Falls City Councilor David Barranco passed away from his battle with cancer. Please keep his family in your prayers.

Have a ribbon I’m waiting to receive in the mail.  I didn’t want to spend as much as I did for a SDGOP Convention related ribbon, but it’s the only one I’ve ever seen.

What got me started was that the seller was offering one of the above 1896 GOP Convention ribbons, which wasn’t one I needed.  In fact, I might even have a duplicate, unless I traded it off. But, alongside it – they had this one:

It doesn’t specifically have “Republican Convention” on it, but there was only one “State Convention – Aberdeen July 8, 1896” in Aberdeen that day, making this a companion ribbon that people would pin to their suits on as they bickered about their candidate selection, hawking the Black Hills as the “Richest 100-Mile Square on Earth,” with $3,000,000 in annual output of cattle, and $5,000,000 of gold.

As noted, it’s the only one I’ve ever seen, and it appeared to be in good shape. I paid a little more than I wanted to, but it will be a welcome – and rare – addition to the wall of political textiles displayed behind me.