This is kind of interesting. Former reporter, now pizza cook/candidate press agent Austin Goss had been attached to the Jon Hansen for Governor campaign.

But right after Tuesday, he got on the facebooks and started messaging Belle Fourche conservative commentator Katie Hoffman.

And if we’re to believe the messages that Katie posted, Goss supposedly asked Katie directly to “Tone down the anti-Toby Messaging for the time being.”

And within the two days since – in an act of dog-like supplication the one-time Dakota News Now and Dakota Scout reporter Goss has rolled over on his back. Supposedly because Toby offered to fly his dog to Colorado for vet treatment, and Austin thinks the legislature is now just a bunch of liberals, and South Dakota will succumb to “the economic development machine.”:

Well, at least Austin now has accolades from outgoing legislator Brandei Schaefbauer, and the eternally awful Phil Jensen.

So, How did we end up here?

We’re several days after the election now. Not quite a week, but plenty of time to step back and unpack “what happened” in an election result that no one saw coming, save perhaps the top two candidates.

Braggadocio aside, opposed to anyone claiming it was a blowout, I’d hate to go do the research but this seemed to be a race where placement was fairly even split. What the campaigns should have done can only be viewed in hindsight.

If you look at the numbers, it really was a narrow band where everyone had their supporters. The low vote was Hansen at 21% and the high vote was Doeden at 31%  That only represented a difference of 13k votes.   Compare that to Jackley and Rounds, who posted nearly six times that between they and their opponents, winning with 79% and 76% of the vote. No one really broke from the pack in the Governor’s race, so it was a mad scramble to election day.

The fatal error in the race was that they underestimated Toby Doeden’s performance, and never went after him with any hard criticism.

If you think about it, it’s a lot like the Rounds – Kirby – Barnett Race, where Kirby and Barnett went after each other, but left generally left Mike alone.  The major candidates used negative attacks to drive down the other guy’s totals and turnout, but like Mike Rounds, the attacks didn’t happen to Toby, so he benefitted from the hall pass.

In this case, Toby was thought of as the person they wanted to be in the runoff against, so you really didn’t see any commercials poking at him, while everyone else was busy going after each other. And, Doeden was able to level unanswered attacks at them, such as the “Jailhouse Jon Hansen – weak on crime attack,” and attacks on Dusty, Rhoden, etc.

Dusty was stung by votes he’s managed to get a pass from the voters on before, such as on the January 6 investigation, and a vote to reject an atypical funding mechanism for the border wall. Keep in mind that President Trump had actively endorsed Dusty for Congress since those votes. So the issues weren’t enough to make the president mad enough to sandbag Dusty then. But Dusty’s opponents used them to great effect now.

As for the front runner, in the contest they did not define Toby, so he had complete autonomy to define himself, and his commercials were effective in doing so. They might have been very rote, but he got them to sink in with the Trumpy faction of the Republican Party. And he held enough of the vote together to take the win.

69% of voters voted against Toby.  75% of voters voted against Larry Rhoden.  How can they put themselves over the top?

Many of the traditional financial backers who backed Dusty’s campaign will shift over to Larry Rhoden if he asks, and many will just send checks in to ingratiate themselves. In fact, I’ve already been told that the money spigot has opened hard for our current Governor.  But, it’s not as if money has been a barrier for Toby Doeden.  But what is in play?

Right now there are nearly 45% of supporters of the other candidates in play.  Interestingly, both of those other campaigns have the ground game that Rhoden and Doeden campaigns both largely lack. Rhoden had a shoestring staff  with just a few volunteers. Doeden’s team is not exactly known for their experience in South Dakota politics.

So where are they going to get them in this mad 8 week scramble?

Jon Hansen is aligned to many of the NIMBY’s who effectively fought pipelines, and are now fighting Data Centers (at the same time they’re all posting to facebook with AI)

Dusty Johnson had his strike team, which is South Dakota’s gold standard, as they were the go to group for multiple candidates for petition signature gathering, door to door, sign and literature distribution, etc. If there was a need for a ground presence for the major state and federal races, as well as some legislative contests, they had it down to a science, and practiced those skills for more than 6 years.

Now, both of those teams are up for grabs.

While Toby Doeden claimed on election night Dusty’s people would go to him.. I’ve spoken with many of the team leaders personally, and no, those strike team members haven’t been on the phone with him, and they frankly laughed at the notion. Right now, they’re keeping their cards close. One or two have gravitated to Rhoden at this point, but otherwise many are keeping their powder dry.

Hansen’s people spent the last few months at war with the Doeden people on-line, so you don’t see him giving them any direction. Like with Dusty’s team, there are a few starting to drift in, but no major pronouncements yet.  By the same token, some are looking at Rhoden as well.

I think there are several from both camps in the Sioux Falls area who are more interested in the mayoral runoff at the moment to help cleanse the palate before they jump back into the primary fray.

But the former ground level campaigns from those who were not successful are out there, and whomever can capture the interest of those retail level volunteers would help add an element to complete their campaign as they push forward in the remaining weeks.

Putting in the framework to “seal the deal” is an important first task for the two candidates in the runoff.

We will see in the coming weeks how well they are able to do that job.

 

 

 

(Editor’s note, I was asked by the author to share his post from facebook, which I’m running as a column, due to it’s length, which will not post in it’s completeness if I embed it. You can find the original and the videos that go with it here.  -pp)

CFL is a RINO organization, nothing more.
by Former SDGOP Executive Director, Reggie Rhoden

I’m no fan of negative politics.

I would much rather spend my time talking about the future than the past. But if we are going to be serious about the future of the Republican Party in this state, then we have to be honest about the people and groups who wear the Republican label while giving political cover to Democrats.

At some point we have to start weeding out the RINOs.

So by popular demand, I present 43 very uninspiring minutes of Citizens for Liberty hosting pro-choice Democrat Jamie Smith inside Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Rapid City.

CFL does not give public endorsements. But what they gave the Democrat nominee was far more useful in South Dakota politics: a room, a microphone, a conservative audience, and the opportunity to present himself as acceptable to Republican voters during a governor’s race. They gave him support.

I was Kristi Noem’s West River Director in 2022. I knew who supported us, and I knew who worked against us. I gave CFL grace for their mistake, even after they berated me over the phone about how horrible they thought Noem and Rhoden were. But now they want to turn around and claim they never supported Jamie Smith at all and act as if this never happened.

Problem is, they didn’t know I recorded the whole thing. 😎

Jamie Smith opened with this:

“Thank you, first of all, for having me and for the organizers. I know that there was some controversy on whether people wanted me to come talk to you tonight. I want to say thank you for allowing me the opportunity…”

That alone establishes the entire fact pattern. He thanked the organizers. He acknowledged there was controversy over whether he should be allowed to speak. He thanked them for the opportunity anyway.

That is not rumor. That is not speculation. That is Jamie Smith, the 2022 Democrat nominee for Governor, in a Catholic church, acknowledging that Citizens for Liberty gave him an opportunity during the 2022 governor’s race even after Republicans and local church-goers objected to him being there.

He then named people in the room:

“Julie, Taffy, Phil, who else? Or is there anybody else? I think you all should give them a round of applause because it’s not easy to do what they do. And you have some of the hardest working legislators in the legislature right here in your group.”

Taffy Howard was named by Jamie Smith. Phil Jensen was named by Jamie Smith. Julie Frye Mueller was named by Jamie Smith.

This is not rumor. This is not speculation. This is the transcript.

And Jamie Smith did not merely say Taffy’s name in passing. He went on to reference shared political history with the freshmen legislators in the room:

“It was kinda crazy, so now I’m elected to be in the House of Representatives. And I still don’t know exactly what I’m gonna do. I was with these freshmen right over here together (looking at Taffy and Phil). We drank from the fire hose together. Do you remember those first weeks? Oh my goodness, what have we done? Okay? But it happened. And you know what? We learned a lot that first year.”

What HAVE they done? Jamie Smith was not talking to strangers when he said this. He recognized Taffy Howard. He named Taffy Howard. He praised the legislators present. He referenced “drinking from the fire hose” with CFL members in the room.

That is familiarity. That is shared political history. That is one of many reasons their denial does not hold up.

Jamie Smith then described working with different parts of the Republican Party: “We’ve been successful working together, sometimes with the multiple different parts of the Republican Party, I’ll just say. There’s different branches, and sometimes I’m with the more conservative part…”

That quote matters. A Democrat candidate for Governor stood before Citizens for Liberty and publicly described his ability to work with parts of the Republican Party, including “the more conservative part.”

Then he said: “People from all walks of life, from all politicals of party, from liberal to conservative, all around the state have thanked me. Thank you for running. Because they understand like you do, that this system doesn’t work unless we have people in the system working together.”

And then: “I want to next tell you a little bit about some things that I think we’re going to agree on.”

Jamie Smith was standing in front of a “conservative” audience telling them where he thought they agreed and even confirmed shared beliefs from prior conversations with members of the group.

That is exactly the kind of support a Democrat candidate needs in South Dakota. Not an endorsement. Not a scuffed scorecard. A platform to win over conservatives. CFL provided exactly that.

Near the end of his remarks, Jamie Smith said exactly what the event gave him: “I thank you for this opportunity to let you know who I am a little bit more and I appreciate being here with you today.”

There is that word again: opportunity.  Not ambush. Not confrontation. Not accountability. Opportunity. That is what Jamie Smith called it. Why present opportunities to your opposition unless they’re not your opposition?

And if anyone wants to pretend the room was hostile to Jamie Smith, the transcript says otherwise.

Phil Jensen is quoted saying:  “Thank you for being an honest Democrat. The reason I tell you that is obviously is cause we have so many Republicans because that’s the only way to get elected — cause in their hearts they’re Democrats and you aren’t one so I applaud you for that.”

That happened in the room. A Democrat candidate was thanked for being an “honest Democrat” while Republicans were accused of being Democrats in disguise by the same man who was in the process of thanking the Democrat whose event he was attending.

That is not Republican accountability, it’s hypocrisy and political cover for the Democrat nominee.

The transcript also identifies Tanchi Weaver by name asking Jamie Smith a softball question about what he would do as governor:

“Tanchi Weaver: Okay, my question seems that every time there’s a new government, governor, there is also an executive order that realigns the state government. Have you given any thought to how you would realign our state?”

Jamie Smith responded: “That’s a great question, and that’s from somebody that’s been in this game a lot longer than I have.”

That matters. Jamie Smith recognized Weaver as someone who had “been in this game” longer than he had. So we can stop pretending the people in that room were random, uninvolved bystanders. The transcript shows otherwise. I mention Tanchi because how distracting it was seeing her head nod in agreement with everything Smith said for 40+ minutes.

And yes, I was there. I recorded it. At one point, Mike Mueller interrupted my recording to ask me not to film anyone in the crowd. For the record, I was polite and did my best to respect that request, which is why I kept my shot zoomed in.

But that raises an obvious question: if Citizens for Liberty is for transparency, accountability, the First Amendment, and Republicans, why would they ask me not to film at their Jamie Smith event?

That detail matters now only because some of the people mentioned above are trying to rewrite what happened. Everything this video proves has already been denied multiple times by the people mentioned in it.

Now the record is clear. Those are the plain facts from the transcript.

So the conclusion is simple: Jamie Smith received support from Citizens for Liberty in 2022.

Not because they issued a formal endorsement. Because they gave him a platform. They gave him a room. They gave him a microphone. They gave him the eyes and ears of conservative voters. They asked me not to record. They gave him the chance to present a watered-down version of himself that was more acceptable to Republicans. They gave him the chance to expose their shared experiences in the legislature. They pitched softballs and never asked him one single question on abortion. They never invited the Republican nominee even after I personally offered. They berated me over the phone about how horrible Noem was with the Muellers coaching in the background. Then after all that support they “didn’t” give, the Democrat turned around and thanked them for the opportunity.

Mr. Chairman, that sounds like the definition of political support to me.

So now, when Taffy Howard, or Tanchi Weaver claims this is “lies,” “false accusations,” and “unhinged,” they are not refuting me in the slightest.

They are contradicting the transcript. (lying)

In 2022, while Republicans were working to defeat Jamie Smith, Citizens for Liberty gave him political support.
That is the record. That is the truth. CFL is a RINO organization, nothing more.

You can watch his videos here:

https://www.facebook.com/656872962/videos/pcb.10162939392122963/27063066496635951

https://www.facebook.com/656872962/videos/pcb.10162939392122963/1345248397600530

Heading to Another Mortgage Crisis?
By Boyd Allison, Retired Banker

This is worth paying attention to. Housing regulators are quietly overhauling the credit scoring models behind Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the stakes are high. The Government-Sponsored Enterprises backstop more than half of America’s $15 trillion mortgage market, and any erosion in loan quality ultimately falls on taxpayers.

A recent article from the National Taxpayer’s Union raised the alarm:

Taxpayers have a clear stake in ensuring that financial risks are measured accurately and consistently in the lending programs they ultimately back. Credit scores are central to that effort, serving as a common benchmark for evaluating borrower creditworthiness across the system. Last week, however, housing regulators signaled a break from past practice—raising fresh questions about how these changes could affect the safety and stability of the nation’s housing finance infrastructure.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced it will adopt the FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 models for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans, describing the move as “an important milestone” in credit score modernization. At the same time, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) unveiled a pilot program permitting the exclusive use of VantageScore 4.0 for loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with plans to incorporate FICO 10T and adjust pricing based on the updated models.

It is important for FHFA and FHA to proceed carefully. The Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) backstop more than half of America’s $15 trillion mortgage market, and even a small degradation in mortgage quality can spell trouble for its balance sheet, and ultimately taxpayers. We’ve often warned that adding multiple scores could lead to rateshopping and a “race to the bottom” effect where firms devalue the actual risk of the score to secure revenue. Should such a course of events take place again, firms would have an incentive to make the most loans instead of striving to provide the highest reliability.

Read that here.

As South Dakotans, we’ve seen what happens when lending standards slip. NTU gets it right here…Congress needs to pump the brakes before this gets away from them.

Just received this text announcing a meet & greet for Austin Hoffman for Attorney General in Sioux Falls on June 15th:

Pat, this is Austin with Hoffman for Attorney General. I am running to be South Dakota’s next AG and want to give you the opportunity to get to know me, find out why I am running, and what I want to accomplish as our state’s next top law enforcement officer.

I will be holding two meet and greet town halls in Sioux Falls on June 15th at The Chapel located at 610 S. Dakota Ave. The first will be from 5:30-7:00pm and the second from 7:30-9:00pm.

You are invited to come, ask questions, and find out how we can put the law above politics. Hope to see you there!

(Just a note, no, I’m not hosting this. I pulled the video into my youtube, because I couldn’t just drop it into the post.)

Lt. Governor Venhuizen to Serve as Rhoden for Governor Campaign Chair

Pierre, SD – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced that Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen will serve as Campaign Chairman of Rhoden for Governor for the historic 2026 run-off election.

Lt. Governor Venhuizen will take a leave of absence from most policy responsibilities in the Governor’s Office.

“One of the best decisions I made was picking Tony to be my running mate,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “When we need a leader to help lead a team, he gets it done.  Now, I’m asking him to step up in this campaign capacity to help us deliver a win in this campaign and keep South Dakota Open for Opportunity.”

Tony Venhuizen serves as the 40th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota. Venhuizen earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from South Dakota State University in 2005 and his juris doctorate from the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law in 2008. He represented District 13, which includes portions of Lincoln and Minnehaha counties, in the South Dakota State Legislature from 2023-2025, including as vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee. In addition to his legislative service, Venhuizen served for ten years in the Governor’s Office, including time as chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard and Governor Kristi Noem.

“Governor Rhoden has trusted me in a number of leadership capacities, and I’ve been honored to help him deliver results in those roles,” said Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen. “I’ve ran and won gubernatorial campaigns before, and I look forward to bringing that same experience to help Governor Rhoden keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.”

Ian Fury will continue in the role of Campaign Manager, and he and Lt. Governor Venhuizen will share leadership responsibilities for the Rhoden for Governor campaign.

“Our team in the primary was small but mighty – only three paid staff,” said Ian Fury, Campaign Manager at Rhoden for Governor. “Tony was a huge help advising me all along, and I’m thrilled to have someone with his skills and experience now formally serving this campaign.”

Venhuizen and his wife, Sara, have been married for more than 20 years and have three school-age children: Henry, Elizabeth, and Madeleine. Sara is an electrical engineer and a distinguished alumna of South Dakota State University. The family attends Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Sioux Falls.

The gubernatorial runoff is July 28, 2026.

Learn more about the Rhoden for Governor campaign at [GovernorLarryRhoden.com]GovernorLarryRhoden.com.

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(Well, they said it, not me… -pp)

President Biden Endorses Dan Ahlers, Julian Beaudion, and Nikki Gronli for Governor, U.S. Senate, & U.S. House

Sioux Falls, SD – President Joe Biden issued the following statement announcing his official endorsement of Dan Ahlers for Governor, Julian Beaudion for U.S. Senate, & Nikki Gronli for U.S. House.

“I’m proud to endorse Dan Ahlers for Governor, Julian Beaudion for U.S. Senate, and Nikki Gronli for Congress in South Dakota this November,” said President Biden.

“Dan Ahlers has spent his life fighting for small businesses and working families. He knows what it means to roll up your sleeves and do the work. Julian Beaudion spent 13 years as a state trooper keeping South Dakotans safe, and now he’s going to fight to make sure families can afford their health care and their kids can get a good education. Nikki Gronli has dedicated her career to making sure rural communities and family farmers get the support they need to not just survive, but thrive.

“These are good, decent people who know where they come from and who they’re fighting for. The people of South Dakota deserve leaders who will actually show up for them. For South Dakotans this November, that’s Dan, Julian and Nikki.”

Sioux Falls’ next mayor Christine Erickson is having a fundraiser next Thursday at JJ’s in Sioux Falls. Show up to support Christine Erickson, or use the QR Code to support Christine in the runoff election!

The 605
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
June 5, 2026 

From Black Hills to the Glacial Lakes, South Dakota is a special place. For many, 605 Day brings to mind memories of family camping trips to Custer State Park, a day spent on the river, or even the first time seeing the world’s only Corn Palace in person. The list of what makes our state great goes on and on. Our picture‑perfect parks bring folks from around the world to experience a place we are lucky enough to call home.

But the truth is, the best of South Dakota doesn’t make the postcard. This is a state where community runs deep. It’s not one single town, one specific park, or even four faces carved into stone that define South Dakota. It’s the way neighbors show up for each other without being asked and the quiet resolve of people who work hard, help others, and don’t expect applause for either.

The pride of South Dakota isn’t in the first shot of pheasant season, the thunderous sound of motorcycles rolling into Sturgis, or the peace and quiet out on the ranch. The best of South Dakota is found in small town diners where the coffee is always hot and the conversations are always genuine. It’s in the local businesses that pour their hearts into what they do, knowing their community is supporting them. This spirit is found when families gather at parks, festivals, and backyards simply because being together is the most important part of who we are.

605 Day isn’t just about honoring where we live, it’s about recognizing what makes this place feel like home. It’s a reminder that South Dakota’s greatest strength isn’t found in its landmarks, but in its people. And on this day each year, we get to pause and appreciate the shared pride that connects us all – because what truly defines South Dakota isn’t the great places, it’s the great faces.

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Don’t forget tonight is the Democrat’s annual dinner, this year featuring former President Biden. And sure to be in attendance is Democrat Mayoral Candidate Jamie Smith.   In case you’ve forgotten, in the last gubernatorial contest, former Governor Kristi Noem had pointed out a few correlations between the two: