PUC Race branching out with more candidates potentially entering into contention; Bahmuller entering race?

@SoDakCampaigns

Well, this sleepy race seems to have gotten more exciting.

With Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff announcing he was focusing on re-election, rather than making a run at the open seat on the Public Utilities Commission, former State Representative Don Haggar had been viewed as having an open run to the convention contest in late June.

Well… maybe not. 

In recent days, the word has gotten much louder that District 19 State Representative Jessica Bahmuller (House Whip, and current House Commerce and Energy committee Vice-Chair) has expressed strong interest in the race, and may enter the contest before the Republican convention. You might put her down as 90% in.  Jessica, of course, is the daughter of long-time legislator and current State Senator Arch Beal who is convalescing from a stroke earlier this year.  Jessica is a strong campaigner, and would be considered to be evenly matched in a convention contest. In addition, she would easily prevail in a fall election against most any Democrat.

Noted as eyeing the race herself is former Democrat turned Republican State Representative Peri Pourier, who has been mentioned recently as expressing interest. She might have a tougher time with GOP delegates, having changed parties in 2025.

Also said to be looking at running for an assortment of constitutional offices is the often banned District 25 Republican State Senator Tom Pischke. Pischke has been said to be looking at a couple of races, but is not being specific, and PUC is one of them that came up in conversations. If Pischke was a convention nominee, he would pose the most risk for Republicans to lose the seat due to continually being in the news for doing dumb things.

That’s the latest update. You know where to find me if you hear of other candidates.

Stay tuned.

11 thoughts on “PUC Race branching out with more candidates potentially entering into contention; Bahmuller entering race?”

  1. Your analysis is dead on, Pat! Jessica would be tough to beat, Peri has no chance of getting the nomination, and Pischke would lose in the general.

    1. If Pischke won the nomination, he’d lose in the general no matter what office it is.

      1. For a statewide race, that’s true. The Democrat convention is after ours. If he wins one of the nominations, they’ll quickly find a candidate perfectly suited to run against Pischke and then they’ll finally get a foothold in state politics. The only way Pischke can be relevant in 2027 is if he stays in the legislature. His district for some unknown reason keeps electing him.

        1. Yeah, but it’s different for the whole state. Remember when a bunch of Rs supported Billie Sutton and almost cost Kristi (and the GOP) the governorship?

          1. Remember when Randy Seiler, former US attorney, state’s attorney, great prosecutor and all around likeable guy, lost to Jason Ravnsborg? Are we really that naive to believe Piscke would lose in the general if he got the nod? The R is a powerful thing in this state.

            1. That was then, and times have changed.

              The current version of the SDGOP is nothing at all like it once was.

    1. He doesn’t even know the functions of either of the two offices you named grudz….. he has turned into a career politician. How many years in the legislature and give me 3 solid things he has accomplished in over 10 years in that body. I’ll wait

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