Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Weekly Round[s] Up: June 22-28, 2026

Back with another edition of the Weekly Round[s] Up! It was a full week here in Washington, D.C., with a packed schedule each day. I welcomed many South Dakotans to my office to discuss the issues that matter most to them. As I often tell constituents who visit, it’s important for South Dakotans to come to Washington and share their own experiences and perspectives because otherwise, someone else will tell their story for them. In addition to meeting with constituents, I attended several other meetings and briefings, spoke with witnesses at multiple hearings and cast 11 votes. President Trump also joined our Senate Republican lunch.

In addition, we continue to hear from South Dakotans who are having issues with mail delivery in South Dakota. As you may know, at my request, the Office of the Inspector General has opened an official investigation into South Dakota’s postal service. We have heard your comments and concerns, but I urge you to share them directly with the OIG as part of its official investigation. Click here to submit your comments. Here’s more on this past week in the Weekly Round[s] Up:

South Dakota Groups I Visited With: South Dakotans from the National Audubon Society; Randall Community Water District; South Dakota farmers with the Clean Fuels Alliance; and the South Dakota Music Education Association.

Additionally, I met with students from the Huron and Harrisburg areas. Early summer is always a busy time of year in Washington as school groups visit our nation’s capital. It’s especially meaningful to welcome students this year as our nation celebrates its 250th birthday.

Met With South Dakotans From: Avon, Brandon, Centerville, Geddes, Harrisburg, Hartford, Highmore, Huron, Lake Andes, Miller, Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Vermillion and White River.

Other Meetings: Lindsey Johnson, President and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association; Kent Walker, President and Chief Legal Officer of Google and Alphabet; Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Andrea Travnicek ; Dr. Christopher Phelan, nominee to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers; and Jason Droege, CEO of Scale AI.

I attended our weekly Senate Bible study hosted by Senator Steve Daines of Montana and I went to our weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast, hosted by Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. I also stopped by the West Point Cadet Reception hosted by Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

On Thursday, I spoke at the 2026 Disclosure Symposium, where I discussed the future of the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act. I am once again cosponsoring as an amendment to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.

Hearings: I attended three hearings this past week. On Tuesday, during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, I questioned Lindsey Johnson, President and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association. You can watch the full clip here.

On Wednesday, I attended a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing, where I questioned Mark Cruz, nominee to be Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Cruz visited my office for a meeting last week. Click here to watch the exchange.

On Thursday, I attended a second Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, where I questioned Dr. Christopher Phelan, nominee to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (who I also visited with in my office this past week). Click here to watch the exchange.

Briefings: I attended two closed briefings with the Select Committee on Intelligence this past week, in addition to one classified briefing as part of my work on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Legislation Introduced: June 24, 2026, marked the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning Roe v. Wade. This past week, alongside Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), we introduced the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2026. This legislation would establish a federal prohibition on dilation and evacuation procedures, commonly known as dismemberment abortions, in which surgical instruments are used to extract an unborn child piece by piece. Under this bill, physicians who knowingly perform these procedures would face fines and/or imprisonment of up to two years. Click the links to read the press release and the full bill text.

Votes Taken: I voted 11 times this past week. I voted in favor of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, along with 84 of my colleagues. This bicameral, bipartisan housing reform bill which will modernize rural housing programs and cut red tape has officially passed Congress.

I also voted on multiple nominees, including Darrell Owens, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the rank of Ambassador; John George Edward Marck, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas; Michael J. Hendershot, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio; Arthur Roberts Jones, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas; and Matthew A. Schwartz, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

Additionally, I voted against a resolution to block the Department of Education’s new federal student loan regulations, as well as two efforts to remove U.S. Armed Forces from Iran. Click here to read more about these votes.

Steps Taken: 59,739 steps or 27.02 miles.

My Staff in South Dakota Visited: Dell Rapids and Miller.

Survey Results: As some of you may have seen last week, I sent out a survey to my email list to get some feedback on what issues are most important to South Dakotans right now. Thank you to everyone who took time to share responses with me. Out of a long list of options, the top three issues were:

(1) Social security and Medicare
(2) Budget and deficit spending
(3) Health Care

We will try to share more information on each of these topics on future editions of the Weekly Round[s] Up!

I largely took last week off because I’m trying to get over the rotten summer cold I’ve had, I had a rummage sale to clear out some junk, AND I had family coming to town for the 4th of July. And wrote little to nothing in the meantime, so lots of things to catch up on!

• The SDGOP State Fair Building in disrepair, is in disrepair again.

The State Republican Party’s State Fair Building which has been under repair for the last couple of years is under repair again. As Beadle County Democrats pointed out, it did not fare very well in the July 3 storms that rolled through the community, at least having the front door blown in, if not suffering other damage.

• Minnehaha County GOP had some things to say about their Tom Pischke Problem.

The Minnehaha County GOP leadership had a few things to say about State Senator Tom Pischke’s conduct as of late, especially with regards to the charges brought against him for election fraud.  (Of course, it’s in an overly long letter.)

Pischke Final Communication by Board 7-3-26 PDF by Pat Powers

“As a result, the Minnehaha County GOP Executive Board is now calling for you to resign immediately from your position as State Committeeman as a member of our county Republican Party Executive Board. This action is not a determination of guilt. Rather, it recognizes that leadership within our Party carries responsibilities beyond those imposed by law. Core Republican principles have long advocated for election integrity, accountability and public trust in our institutions. Those principles must be upheld consistently and without exception. The integrity and credibility of our Republican Party must remain above reproach, and our members deserve representation that is free from circumstances that undermine public confidence.

Resigning at this time would allow the legal process to proceed without placing our Minnehaha County Republican Party at the center of your ongoing controversy. It would also demonstrate that the interests of the Party and the confidence of its members are greater than those of any one individual. Should you ultimately be exonerated, opportunities for future service can be considered at an appropriate time. Until then however, preserving the trust Republicans across Minnehaha County have placed in our Party must remain our highest priority.

As outlined here, the County GOP Executive Board therefore calls on you today to submit your resignation from your position as Minnehaha County’s State Committeeman and, in turn, from the Minnehaha County Republican Party Executive Board, effective immediately.”

Basically, the Minnehaha Co GOP wants his resignation from his local party positions because it’s kind of embarrassing.

 

• Pennington County workers have another day off from a cyber-attack, which is NOT affecting early voting. From the press release:

Pennington County is responding to a cybersecurity incident affecting portions of its network.

As a result, most public-facing County offices will be closed on Monday, July 6, while the County works to assess the situation and restore systems safely.

The following services remain operational:
-Critical life safety services, including 911 Dispatch, the Pennington County Jail, Juvenile Services Center, the Care Campus, and other public safety operations
-Court operations
-The 24/7 Program
–Early voting at the Pennington County Auditor’s Office from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-Vehicle registration services remain available online at my605drive.sd.gov and at self-service kiosks

At this time, the full scope of the incident is still being determined.

Pennington County is working closely with the South Dakota National Guard Cyber Incident Response Team, the South Dakota Fusion Center, the Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency, and other partners as the investigation continues.

Because this is an active investigation, there is very limited verified information available at this time. The County is committed to providing accurate information as it becomes available and expects to provide its next public update by 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6.

 

• SDWC has a new Advertiser in Advertiser’s Row. Welcome back Governor Rhoden!

We’d like to welcome the Rhoden for Governor campaign back to advertisers Row for the Month of July as Governor Rhoden – who has a press conference today in Sioux Falls – works to bring his campaign to the finish line 3 weeks’ time.   Please click on his web link, and support and don’t forget to check out other current advertisers including US Senator John Thune, Congressman Congressman Dusty Johnson, Senator Mike Rounds, Dakota Campaign Store, and more!

Remember, you can always drop me a note if you have questions or if I can hook you up with ad space!

 

Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Freedom
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
July 3, 2026

Here in South Dakota, we still honor America, our freedoms, and our Founding Fathers. Proof of that can be found in places like Mount Rushmore. The four leaders are carved in granite – the images of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt are built to last for generations. Their leadership will not be forgotten. More importantly, the principles, the values, and the freedoms they stood for carry just as much weight today as they did 250 years ago. Because of their vision, America is not just a piece of land. America is an ideal. A set of values. A shining City on the Hill. An example to the world of freedom.

One hundred years ago, President Calvin Coolidge said, as he commemorated the 150th anniversary of America:

“About the Declaration, there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776… and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning cannot be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just power from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward – but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people.”

Those are powerful words from a great leader who loved the Black Hills of South Dakota!

Six years ago, On July 3, 2020, we were joined by the same kind of leader, President Donald J. Trump. President Trump helped bring back fireworks to Mount Rushmore. And when he took office again, we got right back to work. Under the Trump Administration, the lines of communication with Washington are back open. Our state can partner with federal agencies and influence change at the highest levels with just a phone call. We have a President who puts the American people first – American safety first – and American freedom first.

My mission as Governor of South Dakota is to keep our state strong, safe, and free. Like America is to the world, South Dakota has been a beacon of hope for what is possible when we keep government limited – when we remain true to America’s values and our freedoms. Here, we recognize that our rights, liberties, and freedoms are given to us by God – not by government – and government has no authority to take them away.

America isn’t perfect. Lord knows that challenges will arise. But America has overcome challenges for 250 years and turned them into opportunities. And we will continue to do that by holding true to the ideals of the four men on Mount Rushmore. They stand as a testament to leadership. To courage. To bold vision. And to an unshakable belief in the protection of our freedom.

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Attorney General Jackley Announces Mike Durfee Prison Inmate Found Guilty of Possession of Illegal Substances

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a Mike Durfee State Prison inmate has been found guilty of one felony count of Possession of a Prohibited Substance by an Inmate and one felony count of Unauthorized Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Keith Hawk, 41, was found guilty Wednesday by a Bon Homme Country Circuit Court jury. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the Possession of a Prohibited Substance by an Inmate charge and a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the Unauthorized Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Because he is an inmate, the sentences for each charge may be doubled.

The crimes occurred Nov. 18, 2025. The substance involved was identified as K2.

Hawk will be sentenced Aug. 21, 2026.

The case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. The South Dakota Attorney General’s Office prosecuted.

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With the State Republican convention having come and gone, dakotawarcollege.com has a number of advertising spots now open and available to advertise your campaign or cause to the politically minded public as we move forward through the summer into the fall.

And where is everybody going to read about the latest in political news (and gossip)? Here at dakotawarcollege.com.

The election will bring many opportunities for advertisers to get their message out to “those in the know” of South Dakota politics and and community opinion leaders as we count the days until the next legislative session! You can also add those who regularly monitor the pulse of the process as readers and opinion leaders – whether they love this website or hate it – there are a lot of eyes available to get your message in front of.  Literally, thousands are clicking on this website daily for the latest in political news, gossip, and whatever else the state’s leaders are up to.

Advertisers – I have a limited number of spots open, and questions on ad prices, ad positions, and ad commitments may be directed to the webmaster by clicking here. There is space available at the moment, including spots #1, 2 and 3 on the right. Ads run in their position through the site, meaning they are not rotated, and are available on a first-come first-served basis. Discounts are provided for extended commitments.

Please don’t forget to check out our current advertisers including US Senator John Thune, Congressman Congressman Dusty Johnson, Senator Mike Rounds, Dakota Campaign Store, and more advertisers who will be posting soon.

Remember, you can always drop me a note if you have questions or if I can hook you up with ad space!

From Facebook, fresh off his nomination in an unopposed race for Attorney General, an endorsement for Gubernatorial Candidate Toby Doeden has been posted to Russell’s facebook group:

That’s a higher profile endorsement for Doeden in the few weeks until the runoff contest. As evidenced by his selection at convention, Lance holds significant sway with conservative activists within the party. Who have a tendency to vote no matter whether it’s rain or shine. And we’re facing new territory with July’s runoff election.

Hot out of my in-box, Governor Larry Rhoden is having a high-dollar fundraiser in Sioux Falls tonight to raise money for the campaign towards the runoff election, including a former Governor, another former Governor’s son, a former Lt. Governor, Denny Sanford, a number of former legislators, and high dollar donors from up and down I-29.. and well you can look at the list:

If you’ve got an extra $1000 or so for the suggested contribution, then go check it out.

Now, that’s an election that Republicans can be excited about!  Congratulations Christine!

In the several days of SDGOP Convention weirdness that a number of us experienced, if I had to try to ultimately sum it up to a disinterested observer I would summarize the event as one of relationships.  In fact, it might be the best way to explain to someone why the races went as they did. Some candidates were able to build better relationships with delegates, while others were more successful in running precinct candidates with pre-existing relationships, and getting them to show up.

In the Public Utilities Commission race, It was Don Haggar who had been involved in Republican politics and Government for decades versus Peri Pourier. Who has been a Republican for less than 24 months at this point?

It’s bad enough the SDGOP has a former 32-year Democrat as chair; What makes recently switched former Democrat Pourier the more attractive in this contest? Nothing.

The vote reflected that, but it also reflected that Haggar was not a unanimous choice, only defeating her by 10%. Which means that Don has some work to do.   And had Jess Bahmuller remained in the race, we might be talking about a different outcome.

 

The State Treasurer’s race between Heath Shields and Melissa Hull might also be said to be about relationships. But of a different sort.

South Dakota Republican Party Delegates like Outgoing Treasurer Josh Haeder, having elected him twice. So when Shields came in running for the office, using the tactic of trying to take the bark off Haeder’s manner of running that office, that got the ire of some delegates up.

When some unflattering materials in Shields’ background was dropped out there and directed at delegates at the same time that Haeder came out and endorsed Hull,  the die was cast.  Too many questions on Shields versus Hull who was Haeder’s choice, and the delegates thought together the team of Haeder/Hull did a good job.

State Auditor was a three way contest between GOP activist Catherine Barranco, Tamara Grove, who just lost a Senate Primary in some controversy, and Renae Randall who went to the podium wearing a baseball cap.

And it was’t even a contest. Grove’s last minute bid came in third place.  Baseball hat gal came in second, but was a distant second with only 25% of the vote.

And Catherine Barranco whom a vast majority of delegates know in her work with the state party, Republican Women, revitalizing the Teenage Republican Auxiliary, etcetera, walked away with the nomination with over 50% on the first ballot.

The election for the Commissioner of School and Public Lands was even a bigger blowout. There’s not a soul in that convention hall who if they have been involved with the party for any length of time who doesn’t know Brock Greenfield. Brock has been involved for well over 2o years in many capacities, including State Legislator in both the House and Senate.

Again – relationships!  They all have a relationship with Brock and like him. Those that don’t voted for the antagonistic James Bialota. Coming out of the election, Brock had the confidence of delegates comprising 81.32% of the vote, missing out on those preferring Bialota at 18.42%.

So while there’s room for growth, you can’t please all of the people all of the time. As noted, they know Brock, and like him. That’s what was important.

I asked others how they viewed the Secretary of State’s race between Monae Johnson, and Heather Baxter, as those who read this website would know I was not on the winning side and no interest in voting for her, because Baxter is largely a puppet of the hand-counting crackpots. Most with a sense of sanity have no interest in seeing election conspiracist Rick Weible as the next Director of Elections.

So why did Republican delegates opt to overturn this office into chaos again?   The message to me was that Baxter adopted the Jason Ravnsborg strategy in running for the office. Show up to everything. And to her credit, I did see her a number of times in the last few months in my own home county.  The flip-side of the message was that some reported not having interacting with Incumbent Monae Johnson as often. Which makes sense as she has has a job, and has also been under siege by the election conspiracy kooks.

Baxter managed to pull out a win in this race, but is it really a win? Because now she’s on the greater stage, and will have to explain to the 40% of Republicans who voted thumbs down to her, as well as a number of independents and Democrats why they should consider election conspiracy as welcome in that office?

The race for Attorney General is another one that came down to relationships; Two of the three had ran for the office before. All had their own bullet points to appeal to others. For me, Lance, I’ve known for decades since he was in the trenches working for the John Timmer campaign’s West River office in 1992 when I was with the Pennington Co GOP . I was acquainted with his dad, and I certainly like and respect John Fitzgerald’s record on law enforcement. I’ve have done work for his wife Mary in her legislative races. I’ve known Austin Hoffman’s family for some time. His Dad Charlie, His Mom Holly. His brother in law is my dentist. All salt of the earth people.

What to do? It’s a wealth of candidates, and here we are having to pick one from the three.

I think in this contest it was the positive relationships to others in the current Republican organization/delegations that connected Lance Russell to the most delegates who attended. Not everyone voted for him, and he’ll have to win those others through deeds.  but there’s no denying he came in with a tremendous head of steam in the first round of voting that propelled him over the top with 57.14% of the weighted vote in Round 2.  And in this race, after not getting over the hump in 2018, Lance Russell found himself in the victory chair in 2026.

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How was the convention conducted? That’s another long answer. It had high points and low points.

Early on, it became evident that the people running the convention were providing a mixed bag of service. Organizationally, questions over whether they could pay for the event early on?  Hosting events where the VIP was a libertarian campaign organizer who went to trial on drugging a girl and date rape left many including myself just scratching their heads.

In execution, convention was an equally mixed bag.

High Point: I thought the registration process went smoothly. The people were friendly at check-in It was quick,  you got your swag bag, and were sent on your way. That was good.

Low Point: The credential messes that spilled over to the convention was a sh*t show, delaying it by over an hour. When they let a few people acting in their own naked self-interest throw a wrench in the process was weak leadership on the party’s part.

High Point: Spencer Gosch did a nice job at the podium, keeping things light and moving.

Low Point: The Saturday invocation. WTF was that? A ridiculously long taped invocation that we were forced to watch on a screen? No one wanted that. They couldn’t find a local pastor? Because that would have been far more appropriate than that mess where you saw Fox-newslike updates on government and the economy scrolling at the bottom. Mark that down as a total fail.

High Point: I actually thought the voting process went well. There was not a lot of fiddling around, and they managed to be quick about it.

Low Point: Welcome to the unfriendly South Dakota Republican Party.  Who decided to make this convention a PR disaster inside and out? Setting aside the party’s conflict with self-declared Republican influencer Scot Pressler, and the Chair’s incessant sucking up to him, I’m looking at the local media that was alienated, as related by South Dakota Searchlight:

Pennington County Republican Chairwoman Amy Wagner replied within minutes of receiving Searchlight’s form submission Saturday, writing in an email, “That opportunity is available. There will be a press box in both rooms. You will need to check in at the registration desk to get a press pass.”

and..

Wagner apologized to Searchlight and said, “I didn’t realize that they weren’t going to allow press tonight.” Wagner said it was the decision of “the chairman,” a reference to State Party Chairman Jim Eschenbaum.

The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing. That’s an unforced error that lands directly on the chair’s shoulders.

Yet another Low Point:  Relating to the prior low point, Let’s not forget the Sergeants at Arms pacing around the crowd, quick to intervene. Was that really necessary?

What was your experience? Kudos? Complaints?  The comment section is yours.

Freedom Rings for 250 Years

By Sen. John Thune

 Two hundred and fifty years ago, on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence. Like the first shot at the Battle of Lexington, the Declaration was heard around the world. It laid out the causes which impelled the colonists’ separation and the principles that would govern our new nation: That there are unalienable rights given by God, existing before government and which are government’s duty to protect.

Many of these ideas were not new; it was a document built on the wisdom of the ages – including the inheritance of Christian faith, the tradition of British common law, and the colonists’ own experience in self-government. But the Declaration was revolutionary because it founded an entirely new nation on these ideas. Nowhere in the world before 1776 can we find a nation built on the principles that all men are created equal, that their rights come from God not government, and that government’s first duty is to protect those rights. It’s uniquely American.

What started in Philadelphia set the country ablaze. Its lasting impact is visible in our own state, long after the battles of the Revolutionary War. It was the same thirst for freedom that brought pioneers west to the prairies and hills of the Dakota Territory. And our state’s motto reflects the same principles found in the Declaration: “Under God the People Rule.”

There is no place I’d rather celebrate America’s 250th birthday than in South Dakota. Fireworks are back at Mount Rushmore, and you can’t beat our state’s iconic monument, the Black Hills, and a clear South Dakota sky as a backdrop for a celebration like this. I’m looking forward to joining President Trump there to celebrate our great country.

There has been another, perhaps unexpected, celebration of America in recent weeks. With World Cup games occurring in cities across the country, the media has been filled with stories of visitors to our country discovering America (and ranch dressing). Most of all they’re encountering the American character – our generous, optimistic, and big-hearted people – and embracing it. Those elements of our national character, I believe, are the natural consequence of the principles on which our country was founded and that still shape us.

There are a lot of things that draw people to the United States – the sheer vastness of this land and the equally limitless possibilities to make a better life for yourself. But we remain the envy of the world for one reason: Ours is a nation “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” I pray we always will be and that God will continue to bless our country and keep us faithful to the principles for which it stands.

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