Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Crazies put Governor Kristi Noem on their “RINO blacklist”

Kristi Noem goes to DC as Secretary of Homeland Security.

President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.https://t.co/4MSVH0A0y0 pic.twitter.com/hYR8ipzZI7

— KELOLAND News (@keloland) November 12, 2024

Senator Thune is on the list, and will likely be the next Senate Majority Leader.

Well, not saying anything, but I’m right after Kristi on their enemies list.

Pretty soon everyone is going to want to be on the blacklist!

From KELOland via twitter:

President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.https://t.co/4MSVH0A0y0 pic.twitter.com/hYR8ipzZI7

— KELOLAND News (@keloland) November 12, 2024

As noted on FoxNews:

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to select South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to fill the role of Homeland Security secretary, a source confirms to Fox News Digital.

and..

The Department of Homeland Security oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Read the story here.

Keep watching, as this will initiate some earth-shaking changes in the already changed status quo for South Dakota state politics, not the lease of which would be elevating Larry Rhoden to the highest state office as our new Governor, as well as moving someone – a potential running mate, perhaps – to the office of Lt. Governor.

The Modern Republican Party and Our Mandate
By Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.)
Fox News

President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory was made possible by the broadest coalition of voters the Republican Party has seen in the modern era. On Election Day, our big tent expanded coast to coast and brought in patriotic Americans of all stripes. Many were initially turned away from a Democrat Party that increasingly ignores the concerns of hard-working Americans. But Trump’s leadership, and his agenda for American success, closed the deal.

As Congress returns to Washington, we must prepare the Senate to advance that agenda legislatively and ensure that the president-elect can hit the ground running with his appointees confirmed as soon as possible. The Senate Republican majority will work with President Trump to ensure the Senate calendar allows us to confirm his nominees and pass our shared agenda as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

We have a mandate to govern. With President Trump leading the ticket, Republicans did better than in 2020 in 48 states. We improved our margins in three out of every four counties in the United States and grew support with nearly every demographic group. President Trump won more Hispanic support than any Republican president ever before, and younger voters who have many elections ahead in their lifetimes were crucial to victory. As my colleague Florida Sen. Marco Rubio describes it, the party is now a “multi-ethnic, multi-racial coalition of hard-working Americans who love their country.” It’s a new day for the GOP – and that’s a very good thing.

We cannot afford to take this coalition for granted. If we fail to deliver on President Trump’s priorities, we will lose their support. They have trusted us with their votes. Now we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

At the top of the list is cleaning up the mess left by the Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda, which was clearly repudiated by the American people. The Republican Congress must ensure President Trump has the necessary tools and support to enforce border security laws and to remove the violent criminals wreaking havoc in every state. The Biden-Harris administration caused the border crisis. We will end it.

Next, to make America prosperous again, we must take a hatchet to the regulatory apparatus choking our economy, starting with the 1,000 Biden-Harris regulations that have already cost Americans nearly $2 trillion. Streamlining the bureaucratic machine is long overdue.

Just undoing the damage done by the Biden-Harris-Schumer Democrats is not enough. Americans have endured devastating price increases over the last four years. They have charged us to increase growth and improve take-home pay, which starts by preventing looming tax hikes. They have directed us to restore order to a volatile world through strength, with a military so powerful and mission-focused our adversaries won’t dare to challenge us. And they have given us the green light to restore American energy dominance.

We have an ambitious agenda, and it will take all of us – each and every Republican – working together with President Trump’s leadership to achieve it. If we don’t successfully execute on our mandate, we risk losing the coalition that swept Republicans into office up and down the ballot.

We will have disagreements along the way. When they arise, we must listen to each other and keep working toward serving the people who gave us this mandate. The Democrat Party will shun or cancel anyone who challenges liberal orthodoxy. This Republican Party listens to our voters and celebrates the marketplace of ideas.

If we listen to the voters who made it possible, last week’s red wave can lift our country to new heights.

###

From the Hill, this week’s big contest may put US Senator John Thune in the driver’s seat for the Senate Majority Leader position:

The temperature is rising in the battle to lead Senate Republicans, with Sens. John Thune (S.D.) and John Cornyn (Texas) facing a one-week sprint to win the top spot after the GOP clinched control of the upper chamber.

According to multiple senators and aides, Thune and Cornyn, along with their allies, have been burning up the phones of members in search of support ahead of next week’s election to replace outgoing Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

and..

Thune was consistently on the road in support of Senate GOP candidates throughout October, appearing for all of those in competitive races — save for Kari Lake in Arizona — during the final month, according to a source familiar with the South Dakotan’s operation.

and..

“The way it’s playing out, it’s 100 percent Thune’s at this point. It’s just a formality. I don’t see how Cornyn gets there, and I don’t see how Rick Scott gets there. They’re both good guys, I just don’t see how they get there,” Mullin said. “This leadership election has been going on a long time. … Now, it’s a closing argument and making sure your vote stays where it’s at [and] following up.”

and..

Thune also has some structural advantages. At 63 years old, he is nearly a decade younger than the 72-year-old Cornyn. He also isn’t up for reelection until 2028, while Cornyn is up next cycle and could face a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), with whom there is no love lost.

Read the entire story here.

Good Luck Senator Thune! We’re here pulling for you!

Attorney General Jackley Praises Court’s Decision To Block Biden “Parole in Place” Policy

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley praises last week’s U.S. District Court’s ruling that permanently blocks a Biden Administration’s “parole in place” policy that would have provided citizenship for more than a million illegal aliens who have not satisfied the clear requirements set by Congress.

“The Court’s decision keeps in place existing immigration policy and stops the administration from exceeding its statutory authority,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Washington needs to secure the border for public safety and not continue to ignore this immigration issue and the rule of law.”

Attorney General Jackley was one of 16 Attorneys General who successfully filed suit in Texas federal court about the proposed policy. Aliens unlawfully present in the United States are prohibited from obtaining legal permanent resident status without first leaving the country and applying at an embassy or consulate in their home countries. The proposed Biden policy would have permitted 1.3 million aliens to apply for permanent residency without returning first to their home countries.

Other Attorneys General who signed onto the lawsuit were from the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

The Court’s decision can be read here: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Parole%20in%20Place%20Rule%20Final%20Judgment.pdf

Ezra Hays is back this afternoon campaigning to run for State GOP Chair:

Today, GOP Chair wannabe Ezra Hays is again text blasting message recipients that he’s going to be following up with them to discuss “his plan to strengthen” the Republican party.

What can we anticipate his master plan is going to be? We might have some idea as he explained his vision of the Republican Party in September to Former US Senate hopeful Mark Mowry:

“In South Dakota the Republican Party is not strong enough to rein in politicians when it is needed, thats why I feel that we need a stronger party, to be able exact our values when needed.”

Basically, he wants to demand that candidates follow what he says blindly, or his version of the Republican party will “rein them in.” At the same time Chris Larson has issued his party purge list, his buddy Ezra Hayes joins him in wanting to be the GOP’s thought police as it’s new chair.

Telling candidates what they’re allowed to think, and purging the Republican Party of the rest?

Why does this not sound like the Republican party we’re used to? Or even the America?

Fresh out of winning a few legislative seats that allowed them to take control of the State House and the Senate, the crazies have issued their first “Republican Party Purge List” via the completely kooky mattress guy, Chris Larson.

And there’s a lot of familiar names on it, including South Dakota’s top elected officials who might be guilty of the thought-crime of *gasp* “promoting economic development.”  I’m guessing I’m on the list for their thought-crime of “disrespect.” From the man who derisively calls people “normies,” the nutty mattress guy:

But the war isn’t over.  There is still more winning yet to do. We must now set our sights on the enemies that have infiltrated our party: the RINOs

The RINO is an enemy from within, much like a cancer is to the body.

THE BLACKLIST

The following list has been vetted by a few trusted Patriots who collectively possess a vast amount of experience in South Dakota politics. Some of you may feel that I have missed a RINO or two, which I’ll admit is entirely possible. Feel free to leave a comment below if you see any glaring holes. However, this list is not meant to catalogue every SD Republican who we may think isn’t based/conservative enough for our liking, or who may not always vote the way we prefer. Nay, we should allow ourselves to make peace and negotiate with fellow Republicans of all flavors, and to forgive those who may have voted against our values in the past. We can certainly tolerate moderates in our party, so long as they don’t somehow capture the leadership roles. South Dakota is a Patriot state, not a RINO state.

To be Blacklisted, one must have demonstrated a consistent history of traits that frustrate and hinder the Grassroots Patriot movement; behaviors which I spell out here:

1. Promotes “Economic Development” (crony capitalism) ahead of individual rights
2. Shows contempt and/or disrespect to Patriots
3. Voting record that is antithetical to traditional conservative values
4. Ignores their constituents

THE RINOs

• • Lee Schoenbeck
  • Mary Fitzgerald
  • Will Mortensen
  • Dusty Johnson
  • John Wiik
  • Joe Kippley
  • Monae Johnson
  • John Thune
  • Mike Rounds
  • Casey Crabtree
  • Kristi Noem
  • Pat powers
  • David Wheeler
  • Joe Kirby
  • Walt Bones
  • Helene Duhamel
  • Brett Koennecke
  • David Knutson

If I get over 1,000 reads on this post, I will pay to run an ad in the Dakota Scout publishing this list of bad actors, outing them as RINOs and declaring them persona non grata at any and all of our gatherings.

You can read the mattress guy’s hit-list for thought-crimes here.

I can say without any irony, that I’m fairly pleased to show up on a group of South Dakota Republican party leaders such as Senators John Thune & Mike Rounds, Congressman Dusty Johnson, and Governor Kristi Noem, as well as legislative leaders, old friends, new friends, and others. There are people with whom I’ve disagreed with in the past, like Dave Knudson, but I have sincere respect for him.  Heck, being on the same list might even cause me to cut Monae Johnson some slack.

For the last 20 years of writing my website, I have always said that elections are won by addition, not subtraction. But, as you can read in the crazy’s own words – they’re here to subtract.

And somehow myself and my fellow blacklist members will have to make do with being “persona non grata at any and all” of their gatherings. I’d also offer:

Please, my fellow blacklist members. I would encourage you to find a way to soldier on. Find a way to grasp at a ray of light through the clouds, as we try to console ourselves for being barred from meetings we never went to in the first place.

And more importantly – Just remember this for 2026.  You do your part to promote jobs and economic development. And I will continue to show them disrespect the entire way.

While there’s a lot of rumors flying in the race for Governor in 2026, the race for Congress in 2026, US Senate, etc.,  don’t forget about the other, earlier contest that’s set to happen that year – the race for Mayor of Sioux Falls.   With current Paul TenHaken term limited, and his name floated in speculation for one of the “big 3” what does the field look like to run for one of the most partisan/non-partisan political offices in South Dakota being in charge of our state’s largest city?

In talking with insiders, here’s what the field for mayor looks like as of November 2024.

• The big dog in the race at the moment will likely be either SD Auto Dealers/Trucking head/former Legislator/former Councilwoman Christine Erickson OR former Legislator/At-Large Councilor and current small businessman Alex Jensen.  Erickson and Jensen would not run against the other, and either one represents a massive ability to pull in funding from far and wide across the state.  The question would be who likes their current job well enough to give the other a go-ahead?
• Erika Beck, Chief of Staff to Mayor Paul TenHaken and former vice president of development for Lloyd Companies is said to be strong in the hunt. Rumor is that she might have current Mayor TenHaken as a supporter, but that depends on a lot of factors, especially if he’s running for higher office himself. He might just need to stay out of it.
• Current City Councilor Rich Merkouis’ name has come up in discussions, as has Marshall Selberg’s. The question is whether either one could bring in the level of fundraising to support this kind of effort, as races in Sioux Falls grow more and more expensive and require deeper organization than ever before.
• You may also add a local Democrat’s name in there to represent those interests, as well as older names in city politics such as Mike Huether’s, but time is most likely getting away from the former mayor to make a comeback. Other former candidates such as Jim Entenman are said to already be a no.

Whoever comes through the contest might be in the training grounds for higher office after they’re done, as having an inside track to an office governing more and more of the state does come with a lot of publicity.

Stay tuned, as this list will absolutely be shifting in the coming months.

Senate Caucus elections are happening right now…  Senator Jim Mehlhaff was just selected as Senate Majority Leader… and Karr won the vote for Senate President Pro Tempore.

First round for Assistant Majority Leader between Helene Duhamel and Carl Perry ended in a tie. And Perry won in Round 2. How did these Senators look at them and decide “I want the one who went to the crazy rally in Sioux Falls?”

Watch for more updates, as more caucus election info leaks comes out.

MORE:

Whip candidates are Sue Peterson, Randy Deibert, Kevin Jensen, Steph Sauder, Sydney Davis, California Carley, and that idiot Tom Pischke.

And with the final vote, Whips are Sue Peterson, Kevin Jensen, Randy Deibert, and that idiot Tom Pischke.  How does Tom Pischke go from being kicked out of caucus for trying to have just about all of the Senate arrested to being a whip?

Many are ok, but there are a few inmates now leading the asylum.

Hearing early rumors that the House of Representatives took a hard right turn at today’s caucus elections, with Jon Hansen as Speaker, Karla Lems as Speaker Pro Tem, Scott Odenbach as Majority Leader, and Marty Overweg as Assistant Majority Leader.

I’m waiting for more info as it comes out. It sounds as if there was a “caucus before the caucus” to influence how some GOP House members should vote.

At the very least, this next session will provide those who cover politics in South Dakota plenty to write about.

(7pm.. they’re just starting to vote on whips).

Hearing that whips are Soye, Jamison, Les Heinemann and Jessica Bahmuller. And Brandei Schefbauer picked up the last spot.

And there you go.