Author: @SoDakCampaigns

There’s a good article out there today explaining what brought Secretary of State Monae Johnson around from having doubts about election security to endorsing the Democrat, Terrence Davis, who is now running for the election:

But once Johnson became responsible for running elections herself, her views started to change. By 2024, she was publicly expressing confidence in tabulators and saying South Dakota’s election system had safeguards “built in throughout the process.” And this summer, Johnson told Republican convention delegates, “I trust the county auditors to do their jobs, and I fully support the use of secure, tested ballot tabulators.”

Former Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat, said she has seen the same evolution play out among poll workers and county officials: People sometimes get involved in elections because they are skeptical of how they work. Then they discover that the problems they expected to find are not there and that some of the fixes they imagined are not workable.

“It’s a brave thing to admit,” Boockvar said. She said she could not recall another example of a statewide election official doing so.

and..

Many of the activists who helped elect Johnson in 2022 remained unconvinced. This summer, they backed state Rep. Heather Baxter, whose campaign had called for hand-counted paper ballots and eliminating machines, for secretary of state instead.

and..

In explaining her endorsement, Johnson wrote that she now knows “the difference between campaigning for this office and carrying the responsibility of leading it.” The job, she wrote, requires “the humility to listen to professionals” and “a willingness to review new information and change course when the evidence supports doing so.”

Read the entire story here.

I think it’s important to recognize the importance of Secretary of State Johnson realizing that the extreme line of election paranoia that groups like SD Canvassing are trying to sell is only for the benefit of their organization. If we’re not led to be paranoid about election security, then they have no purpose, and the false prophets lose their ability to raise influence and to raise money.

Had a note from someone who was attending the Fall River County Republican dinner this weekend:

I didn’t know if you had heard – Jim Eschenbaum announced he is running for re-election as state party chair during the Fall River LDD last night.

That was not something I had heard. And it was not something I had expected.

It also really begs the question why does Jim Eschenbaum think he’s earned another chance at bat?

• The Republican party might be the most divided it has been in the last century. What has the chair done to bring the party together?
• Fundraising might be at the most abysmal level in modern history – in last FEC report, $20 was raised. Democrats raised over $24,000 in this period.
• When was the last state party sponsored event you heard of? Conventions don’t count. I’m talking actual events for fundraising or media attention.
• AI slop on Facebook has become the communication tool of choice. When was the last time the party issued a press release? (Hint, it was the chair facilitating an attack on Senator Thune)
• How many times has the chair attacked our statewide elected officials during his tenure?
• How much candidate assistance has the party provided under Eschenbaum? Has he reached out to help new candidates?
• How has the party promoted the GOP slate of candidates up and down the ticket? Besides occasional posting on facebook.
• Where is the SD Republican Party headquarters?  Because last I checked, there isn’t one anymore. Not in Pierre. Not in Sioux Falls.
• Does the SDGOP have actual employees at this point? There aren’t any “staff” noted on the website.

It really begs the question of what function the South Dakota Republican Party serves at this point? What has it become over the course of the last two years?

If the Republican State Central Committee truly believes that this is a direction that they’re happy with, then by all means they should return leadership to the hands of Eschenbaum, a former 32-year Democrat who claimed at the onset of his tenure that he didn’t “need any more money thrown to the state GOP.”  How has that worked for us?

But if party leaders think we can do better than the slow desiccation of the State Republican party that we’ve watched, one where fewer and fewer South Dakotans find commonality with, they should recruit someone to lead the organization back to functionality.

Freedom and Fresh Air
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
September 25, 2026

There are many reasons to visit the Black Hills. The towering pillars of granite would be plenty enough on their own, and that’s before you factor in the amazing monuments of Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. But one of my favorite reasons to head for the hills happens once a year in late September: the Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park.

Every year, a few dozen parks staff lead brave volunteers as we chase roughly 1,500 buffalo through the hills of Custer State Park. The thundering hooves, cracking whips, and the wild spirit of the American buffalo makes the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

The spectacle is truly one-of-a-kind, and word has gotten out. Every year, 20,000 visitors join us to watch the display. We round up the herd so that we can tend to their health, brand the new calves, and auction off a portion to maintain the herd’s stability. And the visitors come from across the country and around the world. This brings South Dakota’s two biggest industries, agriculture and tourism, together.

Every year when I’m breathing in the crisp morning air at Custer State Park, I stop to think about what makes this event so special. I go back to our state’s western heritage. Most of us are descended from the homesteaders – or at least the tough few who were able to eke out a living on the untamed South Dakota prairie. Our state still reflects the American Wild West in many regards. Tourists come to Deadwood to get a glimpse into Wild Bill’s life, hike through the wilderness trails in the Black Hills, and swing through 1880 Town along the way.

I think there’s something about all those experiences that is so attractive to the 21^st Century traveler. In a world that is increasingly online, it’s nice to get our faces out of our phones for a few days and get back to our roots. And that’s why they keep coming back to South Dakota. My wife, Sandy, has made it her mission to get South Dakotans of all ages off their phones – and I know the phone-free fellowship that happened at the Buffalo Roundup this year made her proud.

Our state is the freest state in a nation founded on the principle of freedom. And those Wild West experiences hearken back to a day when our nation was just a bit freer.

The late September Buffalo Roundup marks somewhat of a conclusion to the annual tourism season – though the orange jacketed pheasant hunters will be here in just a few short weeks. But it does not mark the conclusion of what makes South Dakota special. Our freedom and fresh air remain a tremendous draw year round.

Moments like the Buffalo Roundup are both a great opportunity to take a break from the daily grind and remember why I do what I do: to keep South Dakota the greatest, freest state in America – and to keep our future strong, safe, and free.

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Democrats Just Say No
By Sen. John Thune

Soon after Republicans took control of Congress last year, it became clear that if we were going to accomplish anything for hardworking Americans, we would largely have to do it alone. There is always some partisanship in Congress, but Democrats took it to a new level since last year, and they have shown themselves to be completely out of step with the American people.

At the top of Republicans’ priority list for this Congress was preventing a massive tax hike that was set to hit working families this year – a tax hike that would have cost a typical South Dakota family $2,500. But Democrats weren’t interested in working with us, and every single Democrat in Congress voted against providing tax relief to the American people. They voted against no tax on tips and overtime, against cutting taxes for working people, and they even voted against an additional deduction for seniors and raising the child tax credit for working families.

Democrats have also opposed Republican-led efforts to reduce costs. They opposed our efforts to block a tax on natural gas that they imposed during the Biden administration, which would have contributed to higher household energy costs. They have also opposed legislation Republicans put forward to block Biden-era regulations that would have forced Americans into costly electric vehicles and raised the price of appliances. And just recently, they blocked progress on bringing down energy prices, including a bill to protect hardworking Americans from increased energy costs associated with data centers.

Democrats have said no to more money in Americans’ pockets, reducing energy costs, and even to funding the basic functions of the federal government. One year ago, Democrats shut down the entire government for 43 days over a nonpartisan spending bill. At the beginning of this year, Democrats reprised that playbook and shut down the Department of Homeland Security over their refusal to spend even one dollar on Border Patrol and immigration enforcement. What was once a fringe position in their party – defunding law enforcement – is now an article of faith among Democrats.

It’s clear that, for my Democrat colleagues, hardworking Americans take a backseat to their political agenda and opposing President Trump and Republicans. Democrats are blocking the farm bill and the annual defense bill, they opposed keeping men out of women’s sports, and they rejected bipartisan efforts to bring down energy costs. What will it take for Democrats to put the American people ahead of their political interests?

Despite the incredible amount of obstruction from Democrats in this Congress, Republicans have managed to accomplish a lot these past two years – from regulatory relief to a secure border and the Working Families Tax Cuts. We have more work to do, and we’ll continue our work this year and in the next as Republicans remain focused on making life better for working families.

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Investments in South Dakota’s Mail

BIG Update

Just two years ago, the United States Postal Service (USPS) wanted to decrease the Sioux Falls Post Office processing and distribution center’s operational capacity. This week, they responded to South Dakota’s calls for improved service and announced increased investments in the facility. These upgrades will mean most mail originating in South Dakota will be processed and handled in South Dakota. I’m glad the USPS recognized it makes more sense for South Dakota mail to be processed here, rather than in North Dakota, Nebraska, or Colorado. I’ve been pushing Postal Service leadership to take the concerns of South Dakotans seriously and I am encouraged by this announcement.

BIG Idea

Main Street businesses are the backbone of South Dakota communities—creating jobs, supporting families, and keeping our local economies strong. It was great to meet with the South Dakota Retailers Association to discuss the importance of supporting small businesses and ensuring they have the tools and opportunities to succeed. I was honored to receive the South Dakota Retailers’ Hero of Main Street Award for my work in Congress supporting local businesses. South Dakota’s small businesses are an important part of what makes our state special, and I’ll continue working to strengthen our economy and ensure Main Street businesses can grow, create jobs, and serve our communities for years to come.

Johnson with the South Dakota Retailers Association

BIG News

This week, President Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, D.C. I’ve been vocal about my concerns with the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to undermine American interests and values. As a member of the House Select Committee on China, I’ve pushed for fairer trade deals, stronger protections for our kids, and policies that ensure America remains competitive on the world stage. These meetings could yield positive deals for the United States, but we need to understand Chinese leadership is a real geopolitical threat to American interests.

 

Click here or the image above to watch Johnson’s conversation on CNN

NFIB Endorses Sen. Mike Rounds and Attorney General Marty Jackley for Election to Congress to Represent South Dakota
Rounds and Jackley have demonstrated strong support for small businesses

PIERRE, S.D. (Sept. 25, 2026) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, endorsed Sen. Mike Rounds for reelection to the U.S. Senate and Attorney General Marty Jackley (SD-At Large) for election to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent South Dakota.

“Senator Rounds and Attorney General Jackley are both staunch advocates for Main Street,” said Tim Nungesser, NFIB Regional Director. “South Dakota small businesses are the foundation of the state’s economy, and it is important to have strong leaders to represent them in Congress. We look forward to working with Senator Rounds and Attorney General Jackley to ensure that independent businesses in our state can continue to grow and create jobs.”

“We are proud to endorse Senator Rounds and Attorney General Jackley to represent South Dakota in Congress,” said Louis Bertolotti, NFIB Political Director. “They have each demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advancing small business interests, and they understand the issues that matter most to South Dakota owners. We look forward to working with them to build on last year’s great win of making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent.”

The endorsement is issued from NFIB FedPAC, NFIB’s political action committee. NFIB FedPAC is funded by voluntary contributions by NFIB members over and above their membership dues. Decisions made by the NFIB FedPAC are managed by a member-driven grassroots evaluation.

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For over 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.

Coming off of his plea deal to get his rear-end out of a felony charge, today Heather Baxter is crowing about this endorsement from Travis Ismay.

Is a Tom Pischke endorsement coming next?

Former US Senate candidate Julian Beaudion didn’t hold much back in a post he just did on facebook in response to Brian Bengs getting in the face of someone who disagreed with the Nebraska candidate he appeared with..

What US Senate Candidate puts his finger in the face of a constituent?
What type of US Senate Candidate snaps his fingers in the face of a constituent?
Brian has shown me that when he isn’t in agreement, he shows that in anger.

and..

Brian is also the same person that told my wife and I the day after our house fire, “If you remain in this race, things will get worse for you.”

and..

Today I am saying this to you all.

BRIAN BENGS IS INCAPABLE OF BEING A US SENATOR AND I WILL NOT BE VOTING FOR BRIAN BENGS!

Read that here.

This is hot off the press.. Instead of running his own Indy/Liberal/Dem whatever race for US Senate,  Brian Bengs apparently feels the need to go to Washington DC to defend Nebraskan Dan Osborn who is doing the same thing:

A man came up and heckled Osborn, asked why he had called Nebraskans an expletive (this is a family X account)

Bengs stepped in between them https://t.co/rl3lbuLpOM

— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) September 24, 2026

Why Does Dan Osborn need to be defended by Bengs? It might have been something that Osborn said..

But in a newly released recording, Osborn appears to describe a very different strategy: Say what he needs to say to win a Republican-heavy state, then govern according to the positions he has kept off the campaign trail.

“I can go and I can be the voice for LGBTQ and immigration and all of these issues. Then I lose the election,” Osborn said in the recording obtained by Townhall. “It feels good in the moment. At the end of the day, I’m gonna win this election. And then I’ll be the senator for six years and everybody else can f-off.”

Read (and listen) to this here.

Strangely, this seems to feel familiar in the South Dakota US Senate Race, where Bengs appears to be shifting his platform on things he was running on in the last election.

Here’s more of the video..

The person who was questioning Bengs was apparently displeased over Osborne referring to Nebraskans in less than Senatorial language.

This whole episode is weird, because it seems to have Bengs declaring he wants to be part of a third-party caucus along with the other two characters. And then going after someone who questioned him.

Rounds Issues Statement Following Release of USPS OIG Report on South Dakota Mail Service
Rounds requested OIG investigation in December 2025

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued a statement following the release of the United States Postal Service (USPS) Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) report on the status of mail service in South Dakota. This investigation was requested by Rounds in December 2025. The report comes following USPS’s announcement that the Sioux Falls processing facility will be upgraded to a regional facility at Rounds’ request, keeping more intrastate mail in South Dakota.

“It’s encouraging and unsurprising that the Inspector General’s report studying the mail service in South Dakota shows evidence to back up what we’ve been hearing and seeing for years: the United States Postal Service is not adequately serving South Dakotans,” said Rounds. “We’ve heard from thousands of South Dakotans who have real concerns about their mail service. Veterans aren’t getting prescriptions on time, bills are arriving after they’re due and newspapers are old news by the time they make it to your doorstep. At the same time, Postal Service executives are receiving bonuses and airport lounge memberships while telling South Dakotans there are no problems. Today’s report states otherwise.

“I’m grateful to Inspector General Tammy Hull and her team for their thorough review process in South Dakota and their thoughtful recommendations for improvements,” continued Rounds. “I’m also grateful for all of the South Dakotans who have sent feedback and contributed to this report. We’ll be watching the USPS’s team closely to see if and how these recommendations are implemented, and whether they actually make meaningful improvements in delivery time. Until then, we’ll keep the pressure on and continue to fight for a return to service standards that not only meet but exceed expectations.”

Read the report HERE.

BACKGROUND:

Rounds has been a leader on USPS issues in South Dakota, leading the push to keep local processing facilities in South Dakota. In April 2024, Rounds sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging USPS to avoid downsizing or significantly reorganizing mail processing operations in South Dakota. As a result, in February 2025, USPS committed to keeping the Dakota Central processing facility in Huron open, as well as investing $3 million in improvements to the facility. Rounds also secured a commitment from former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to keep mail that originates within South Dakota from leaving the state for processing.

In September 2025, Rounds sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging him to restore reliable mail service and requesting a meeting. Rounds and Steiner met in October. Steiner followed up on the meeting with a letter dismissing the issues raised by Rounds, claiming that the mail delays were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City despite none of these facilities handling South Dakota’s intrastate mail. USPS leadership continues to deny any issues with South Dakota’s mail service despite the first-hand accounts from South Dakotans that say otherwise.

In December 2025, Rounds requested an investigation into persistent issues with USPS delivery in South Dakota. In April 2026, Rounds was notified that the Office of the Inspector General was on the ground in South Dakota to investigate mail service. In June 2026, Rounds sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs announcing his intention to place a hold on all USPS nominees until South Dakota’s issues are resolved. As a result, two Postal Service Board of Governors nominees were removed from the legislative calendar in August 2026.

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