Author: @SoDakCampaigns

If you ever caught yourself thinking that things might be setting down in Pierre, guess again. Because the AG doesn’t have enough to do to prosecute murderers, there’s a bill in the hopper yet to emerge from Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer directing the Attorney General to spend South Dakota taxpayer dollars to file a lawsuit against the People’s Republic of China for COVID:

Honestly.. what do you do with that?

Gov. Rhoden Selects Tony Venhuizen as Lt. Governor 

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced Tony Venhuizen as his selection for the 40^th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota. A photograph of Tony Venhuizen can be found here. 

“Tony is a problem solver for the people of South Dakota,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “He is never shy to show leadership and take on challenging issues. He may know more about South Dakota’s history than anyone I’ve ever met. And he uses that knowledge to help shape where our state is heading in the future.”

Tony Venhuizen served since 2023 as a state representative from District 13 and as Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He also chaired the State Legislature’s 100th Session Planning Committee in 2024.  He resigned his seat in the legislature this morning. You can find his resignation letter here.

“I want to thank Governor Rhoden for his confidence in me,” said Tony Venhuizen. “It will be a great honor to serve the people of South Dakota as lieutenant governor. I look forward to helping Governor Rhoden keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.”

Venhuizen served for ten years in the Governor’s Office, including time as chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard and Governor Kristi Noem. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from South Dakota State University in 2005 and his juris doctorate from the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law in 2008.

“We had many excellent applicants for this position,” continued Governor Rhoden. “I had the luxury of countless incredible candidates, and I selected one who is the best fit for such a time as this.”

Pursuant to Article 4 Section 6 of the South Dakota Constitution, Venhuizen “shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of all the members of each house of the Legislature.”

Venhuizen is president of the board of directors of the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation. He is a member of the board of directors of the Trail of Governors Foundation and of the SDSU Research Park, and a former member of the board of directors of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce.

Tony and his wife, Sara, have three school-age children: Henry, Elizabeth, and Madeleine. Sara is an electrical engineer and a distinguished alumna of South Dakota State University. The family attends Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Sioux Falls. A photo of the family can be found here. 

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With the press conference still in progress, District 13 State Representative Tony Venhuizen is Governor Larry Rhoden’s pick to be his Lt. Governor in a nomination process that will go through both houses of the state legislature starting tomorrow.

Stay tuned for the official press release which will be forthcoming shortly.

The second voucher bill, Representative Odenbach’s House Bill 1020, a bill to establish education savings accounts was killed in House education, on a stronger vote than the more expensive HB1009 voucher bill, and was sent to the 41st day on a 9-6 vote after testimony from a broad coalition of opponents including state education interests, school administrators, teachers, parents, the South Dakota Chamber, and the South Dakota Retailers Association.

I’ve heard several things over the last day with regards to the announcement for Lt. Governor, but hearing more and more intensely that the choice is most likely District 13 State Rep. Tony Venhuizen being announced today.

The announcement will be in a little more than a half-hour, so we’ll find out shortly if the rumors are correct!

Rounds Joins Department of Government Efficiency Caucus

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he has joined the Senate’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus. The DOGE Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral group of members ready to work hand-in-hand with the Trump administration to identify and eliminate wasteful spending and resources in the federal government.

“Hardworking Americans deserve to have their taxpayer dollars spent wisely,” said Rounds. “For the past four years, we had an administration in the White House that did not place a priority on eliminating wasteful government spending. The Trump administration is not only prepared, but committed, to cutting wasteful spending. I’m ready to work with my colleagues in the Senate to do our part in assisting President Trump in cutting spending, eliminating unnecessary programs and streamlining the federal government so it works for the people rather than the bureaucracy. One place to start is eliminating the federal Department of Education and returning educational decisions to our states, saving at least $1.3 billion in taxpayer dollars.”

Rounds is joining Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in cutting wasteful government spending.

For a full list of Rounds’ caucus memberships, click HERE.

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From former State Senator Erin Tobin, a great piece on why we don’t want to rob already underfunded public schools to dump cash into private schools:

Took a moment this AM to add my voice to those asking that the Senate reject the nomination of RFK, Jr.  Why? He is not a good guy when it comes to health care policy:

Kennedy, who founded an anti-vaccine nonprofit and grew into one of the most prominent anti-vaccine activists in the world — a crusade from which he and associated groups have made millions of dollars — has prominently advanced a false contention that vaccines cause autism.

“I do believe that autism comes from vaccines,” Kennedy asserted to Fox News in 2023.

He went on to say that his position was misunderstood; he just wants to test the science behind them. But it’s Kennedy who rejects the science in front of him, critics say.

“Are we [also] reviewing the question about whether the Earth is flat? This is settled science,” said Rep. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., who previously worked as a pediatrician.

and..

“I bet you’ve never met anybody with full-blown autism your age,” Kennedy told podcaster Joe Rogan in 2023, launching into a script he often uses in public appearances. “You know, head-banging, football helmet on, nontoilet trained, nonverbal. I mean, I’ve never met anybody like that at my age, but in my kids’ age now, one in every 34 kids has autism. And half of those are full blown.”

Read the entire story here.

This is not someone we want as our Secretary of HHS.  He is awful.

Listening to House Ed this morning on House Bill 1009, (to provide for the creation and use of South Dakota educational
empowerment accounts, and to provide a penalty therefor). Rep. Phil Jensen started off by quoting the bible as part of a do pass motion, but Rep. Heermann offered a substitute motion to send it to the 41st day.

Rep. Degroot pointed out that the bill has a $140 Million price tag, according to the fiscal note, and if they have trouble trimming 40 million from the budget, $140 million is far beyond that.

The bill was quickly sent to the 41st day, and was narrowly killed on a tight 8-7 vote.

Today the South Dakota Senate passed Senate Bill 51, the proposed 10 commandments mandate that demands that schools post that section of the bible in every wood shop and physical education class by 1 single vote, according to the story on KELOland news:

Senate Bill 51 would require every classroom in the state to display the Ten Commandments on a poster no smaller than eight by 14 inches. The Ten Commandments must be the focus of the poster and in large, easily readable font. 

and..

Republican Sen. Mykala Voita strongly supported the bill.  

“We have allowed the outside culture to tell us that saying anything about faith is bad,” Voita said. “This is what founded our country, all of our morals and things that we base our law systems off of.”

and..

Republican Sen. Chris Karr broke a 17-17 tie with a deciding “Aye.”

Read the entire story here.

Despite what Voita, the South Dakota legislature’s end-time army member says, I’m sure people are already preparing their legal briefs in opposition of the unconstitutional measure that will see the state spending money it doesn’t have on legal defense.

Update:  The Argus Story on this also has some golden quotes from the debate, including the quote of the day from Senator Ernie Otten:

Sen. Carl Perry (R-Aberdeen) said while many people in the state “like to see local control,” sometimes he likes to see “local help,” or a “nudge to move in the right direction.”

and..

Sen. Ernie Otten (R-Tea) said while the Ten Commandments are “precious words” to him, he felt the postings required in the bill might be “dumbing down a group of people that all they’re going to end up doing is walking by a sign and thinking, ‘Something mystical is going on.’”

Read that here.

While Senator Perry provides gobbledygook to justify telling schools what to do, Senator Otten is very much correct.

Despite what sponsors think, students are not going to get much out of the ten commandments being posted in geography