There have been a number of dubious happenings at the Silver Spur lounge in Ft. Pierre over the years. But nothing quite so politically dubious at the former gentlemen’s club as a secret meeting called for 2:30pm today with State Legislators.
And it sounds like there are plans that are in motion.
For a couple of weeks now, there has been talk that Neal Tapio – who had been ‘exploring’ a run for Congress amidst his attacks on other Republicans – has been cooling on the idea, leaving South Dakota’s very popular Congressman Dusty Johnson a clear run to November.
Unfortunately, some of the rabble rousers in the party could not let that go.
The rumors started to bubble to the surface a few days ago, and an odd name started to emerge as Tapio’s replacement. Former State Representative Liz May.
Liz May of the self-annointed Conservative Caucus? Liz May of “Common core standardized tests cause suicides?” Liz May of the “fight Governor Noem on her pick for Lt. Governor?” Yes. All that and Liz May who came in 4th of 4 candidates for District 27 State House in the last election. Nevermind she resides in one of the least populated areas in the state. The rumor was out that Liz May would be announcing in February that she was going to run for Congress.
Fast forward to today. What I’m hearing is that Liz had suddenly called a number of conservative legislators together for a meeting for 2:30 PM this afternoon at the Silver Spur Lounge in Ft. Pierre. And then the winds – and the rumors – shifted. Word is she had petitions in hand and was circulating them. And I had a call late today informing me that what is going to happen is that – allegedly – Liz May will be announcing her candidacy for Congress at the Black Hills Stock Show.
And curiously, I found this on the Internet in doing a search of web domains.
(Screenshot today from lizmayforcongress.com/GoDaddy.com)
LizMayforCongress.com. Don’t know if it’s her. But it seems to fit together with the rumors flying around a little too closely.
So if Liz May calls a press conference at the Black Hills Stock Show, no shocker, you already know what it’s going to be about. Because it’s already out that she’s going to announce she’s getting into the race for Congress.
Of course, she’s doing so a month after Congressman Dusty Johnson – the guy who won the last Republican Primary and General election in landslides – started his campaign effort, and has his team out scouring the countryside and pushing hard to make it happen.
So, the person who placed 4th out of 4 in her own race in her home area plans on taking on the incumbent. Who happens to be universally accepted as the hardest campaigner in state politics?
All I can say to Liz is *good luck with that.*
You’re going to need it.
Yeah.. ok. Voting for Dusty.
She will give him a battle.
“It is widely known that young Ms. May is one of the dimmest bulbs in the legislatures.”, grudznick
word.
you are so ridiculous grudz.
I’d get the primary challenge if it had happened 2 weeks after Dusty voted against Trump’s wall funding but for it to happen like a year after is like a thud.
They will have to pay to remind everyone of this now.
She will need serious money.
If you actually look at Dusty’s voting record, he is further right than you’d expect.
Well I hate to break it to you but Tapio doesn’t look at facts.
Dusty was always been a very stand up guy until Daugaard in 10. He brought himself some redemption by leaving as Chief, lost it later with his vote against the wall and has since redeemed himself somewhat. Possibly just learning to lean whichever way the political wind blows best if we don’t see more than talk.
Tapio’s all talk no action ego would have been bruised by getting shellacked.
I have never seen less action taken by someone who proclaims themselves as principled.
Come on. Dusty voted against funds for building a wall. Trump’s hallmark campaign promise and Tapio’s great rallying cry was to wuss out and recruit Liz May 4 1/2 months before a primary?
Talk about a drizzle of an effort with little money, time or at this point reason to run against him.
If Liz May runs for Congress and no one knows she’s running for congress did it actually happen?
Don’t doubt Tara. Evidence by the website, May has carefully planned this out under the cover of darkness, only to be jumped by some Powers spies boozin at the bar. Next reveal will be the volunteers and funding sources. Liz is thoughtful and will meticulously go about this campaign.
West river toughness is dangerous.
Like she carefully planned her recent campaign in her home district she had served by coming in fourth in a four person race. I’m sure Dustmeister J is very scared.
Ah, the Spur. Fond memories of finishing off my beer in the parking lot as the sun was rising. Never a gentlemen’s club, btw, unless you count the finer cowboys removing their hats on entry.
mhs, the Spur was absolutely a gentleman’s club in the past..late 80’s early through mid 90’s, and then the guy who ran it was arrested for drugs.
Notwithstanding the Spur’s owner’s transgressions, it was a dive bar in the ’80s. The only true “gentlemen’s club” across the river is The Hop Scotch. BTW, was that 2:30 meeting really p.m.? Sounds like the kind of ideas that get hatched at 2:30 a.m. Central / 1:30 a.m. Mountain!
MHS and DZ are correct.
The Silver Spur has never been a gentlemen’s club. You are conflating the Spur with the Hop Scotch. I do faintly remember the owner of the Hop Scotch being arrested and the HS then purchased by a guy from Rapid City. Is the Hop Scotch still open.
Yep, Pat, you’re confusing the Spur with the Hop. In fact, the bank I worked for foreclosed on the Spur about ’87. I spent a very long, cold Sunday draining the boiler in the basement so it wouldn’t freeze up. Good times!
. . . and Troy, I sold the Spur to the guy from Rapid. For cash, luckily, he lasted about 9 months before the drug bust.
I’m familiar with both the Spur and the Hop, and can confirm the Spur (or at least it’s location) was “that kind of bar” from the time it changed hands until the drug bust. It was called the “Bad River Bar” during that time… until the US Marshal took possession of it.
Actually the Hopscotch club closed and sold at one point, but was reopened after the owners of one of the Rapid City gentlemen’s clubs bought it after they were pushed out of town. They refurbished and reopened it.
Well, hell, I quit the bank job to work for Troy, so, that pretty much tells you what I know . . .
Didn’t Gene Abby shut it down?
Yep. His name is on the ad!
So, you all might be right. In the 60s, 70s, and early to mid 80s, the Silver Spur lived up to its name. It was a cowboy bar, not a “gentlemen’s” club. That activity was reserved for the Hopscotch.
This Silver Spur existed at a different location on Deadwood Street while the Bad River Bar existed at the Main Street location. I think there may have been a strong reputation for women of the night but not strippers…
The Spur and the BRB were in the same building at the intersection of Main & Deadwood streets with the dirt lot/alley access for off street parking
When it changed hands, it converted to the BRB, and after the US Marshall sold it, and they re-opened, it was operated as the Silver Spur.
Spoke with Karl Fischer and he said that no one was hired to strip at the Spur. But clothes were probably removed.
I don’t patronize strip clubs per se but I’ve been in bars where folks decided to strip. Tequila makes her clothes fall off, etc. etc
Prairie Rattlers at The Hopscotch – 1:30 am Mountain Time
Tapio is scared.
I’ve heard of Dusty Johnson, but who are these other two people mentioned? I’ve literally never heard of them in all my years of involvement.
google.
I like Liz, but a little too late to the party. At least she wasn’t a one trick pony like Neal Tapio. That being said, Dusty has voted conservative and done a great job as our Congressman.