Looks like the C-listers are even getting on the ballot this year.
Justin McNeal, who TWICE failed to get on the ballot last election – both as a Republican and an Independent – managed to get petitions in to run for US Senate against incumbent Senator Mike Rounds in the primary.
Also joining him on the ballot at the moment is Congressional wannabe James Bialota Jr, who championed exercising stand your ground laws against a 12 year old, and currently has a jury trial set for 4/16 on a 5/12/25 charge of ENTERING OR REFUSING TO LEAVE PROPERTY AFTER NOTICE, and DISORDERLY CONDUCT. On a separate charge from October 21, 2025, for ENTERING OR REFUSING TO LEAVE PROPERTY AFTER NOTICE, there’s an evidentiary hearing set for May 9. Or, have the hearings become a big maybe?
In the past, criminal charges have been pended while candidates have been running for office (remember Annette Bosworth?) because courts do not want to be seen interfering in elections. So we’ll see if these court cases find justice frozen while the election plays out for the brief period until Bialota loses.
The not-ready for prime time candidates are on deck. Get ready for the election’s sideshow to begin!
Now that Wiik is out at SDGOP, who will McNeal blame when he loses?
Gotta think that Rounds and Jackley having nominal opposition engages some additional voter turnout that helps more establishment candidates down ballot.
I know Justin a bit. Not sure he’s ready to be a U.S. Senator, but my dealings with him have been professional and positive. He’s not a kook.
Dresses like a kook.
https://dakotawarcollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CleanBootsMcNeal.jpg
He thought that outfit would make him look like he lives here
Young Mr. McNeal is probably the recipient of much bad advice. Don’t run for senator, young sir. Don’t wear that hat, especially indoors. And never, ever, wear those trousers and boots again.
Bialota is a kook! He showed up at a legislative reception in Pierre (obviously uninvited) with clipboard in hand interrupting legislators and a member of the PUC who were having a casual conversation. He’s definitely got a screw loose.
His bowl haircut makes him look like a cartoon character. Or he could have played Jim Careys brother in Dumb and Dumber….
McNeal is a carpetbagger from California and Hawaii. His grandparents lived here. That’s it.
He decided he wanted a job in Washington D.C. and instead of doing what my son did, (moved down there and got a job,) McNeal thought he would run for the Senate, and South Dakota would be as good as any other state to run from.
He has shown no interest in pursuing a state or local office. It’s really telling he doesn’t seem interested in serving as a county commissioner or a state legislator.
I believe he’s from Hawaii/Texas. But we can ask his Mommy, who is running against Helene Duhamel (again)
he seems to be from everywhere but here
he claims to be conservative and all about South Dakota values but since he has not held a public office, there is no voting record to inform the voters
if he had spent the last two years in the state legislature we would have a better idea of what kind of political leader he is, if he can sponsor coherent legislation or if he wants to shoot down commercial aircraft and put Ivermectin in school lunches
Given the record of the past few years, it most probably won’t make any difference who wins. Congress is over.
McNeal is well aware that he’s not winning the race. He likes to be a part of the process and I’m glad he is. I’ve gotten to know him over the last several years and he’s a standup guy. One of those people that you could call for help at 2 in the morning and he would be there without complaint.
Biggie Biolata lives in an alternate reality.
do he is just doing this for attention?
can’t he just join a band or something?
It is funny how the right-wing media creates a platform to capture these people, but when they come to the surface for actual positions, they get laughed at. Yes, we want your flat earth, anti-science, global conspiracy, fake moon landing, vote, and will tell you it’s true, but just stay quiet in the back. They should be careful though, when the curtain gets pulled back they can wake up like MTG. haha.
we don’t even know what McNeal’s positions are, on anything.
We do know that if he were serious about a political career, he would be running for a legislative seat, but he could actually win that, and then he’d have to show up and do the work.