Brown County GOP Secretary follows Katie Washnok out the door

Pat Powers

From my e~mail box this AM, looks like the Brown County GOP‘s leadership team is collapsing in the wake of Katie Washnok’s departure:

Brown County Republican Central Committee Members,

After taking some time to think about things, I am writing to resign from my position as Brown County Republican Party secretary, effective immediately. In light of Katie’s recent departure, I believe that the direction for the future of the Brown County GOP has changed.

Our country has reached a pivotal point where the success of our nation depends on citizens’ willingness to work together towards a common goal. The same is true at the local level. I believe that as executive board members, we hold a duty to diligently work to unite the Brown County GOP through leadership and example. Unfortunately, in recent years, personal agendas have plagued our efforts and have threatened the upward trajectory that we have worked tirelessly to maintain. I will always believe that our board exists to represent and welcome ALL Republicans, not just those who share our same views and opinions.

It has been my honor to serve Brown County for the past five years. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished, especially our efforts to ensure that Brown County remains red. It is, and always will be, a privilege to carry water for the elephant.

Respectfully,

Ashley Tanner-Fliehs

And that’s another person choosing to walk away in light of the divisiveness that’s plaguing the SDGOP.

35 thoughts on “Brown County GOP Secretary follows Katie Washnok out the door”

  1. My opinion ..

    We all agree that it’s important to work together toward a common goal.

    The goal is what’s in question .. most people want to work toward election integrity as a goal. But, for some reason, that doesn’t seem to be a commonly shared interest with the people who are voting, who want their vote, an inherently equal currency given to everyone in a quantity of ONE (1), to be counted.

    1. Election integrity starts with following the money.Odenbach gave Mays PAC $12k. Where did the money go? May never reported the money on her campaign finance report. Have they been bought off by the marijuana industry? So much for election integrity, Mr Dale.

    2. Again, updating voter registration rolls & poll watching are the responsibilities of the Precinct committee men and women.
      If they don’t want to do their job…..

    3. The election wasn’t stolen and, as always, you are a lying sack of dog feces preying on people’s fears.

    4. John, if your goal is to convince the electorate the election was stolen you should just stop. It wasn’t. President Trump lost. And once you realize he’s a disgrace of a candidate, the better off the GOP will be.

    5. You live in your own bubble. Most people in SD aren’t happy with the outcome of the 2020 election but are intelligent enough to realize that we have a rock solid election system. I live in one of the counties whose Republican committee is strongly involved in the election conspiracy hogwash. Outside of that group, every single person I talk to is sick and tired of their nonsense. All this “movement” is doing is pushing people away from the Republican Party and ruining it from the inside. Our next Democratic Governor will be on their shoulders.

  2. As a brown county republican I am worried. That know after this and other events. That Jake’s buddy Toby’s people are going to take over the party now. 😬😬😬😬😬

    1. The Haugaard whack jobs are infiltrating all areas. Loud and combative, causing the good people to leave.

        1. John Dale wouldnt care if the angel Gabriel was sitting on your shoulder, nodding his head at everything you say. There is literally nothing on earth that could convince him the election wasn’t stolen.

          What’s sad is people like Dale consider themselves skeptics. But what they mess up is that skeptics DEMAND evidence of claims, not reject all evidence because they are “suspicious.” He’s remarkably stupid.

    2. Two things regarding Katie race. Big money PACs should not have muddied the race. When people saw her funding amounts, she was doomed, as someone who was being bought. 2. Katie, as a new comer, would have been better off to have run for House.

      1. Apparent South Dakota rules of the road:

        Converting donations for a specific issue to instead give to candidates who oppose candidates strong on those very issues? Cool. No problem. Legitimate.

        PACs giving money to the candidatez they were meant for? Bad. Outside influence. Terrible.

        Ok, fella.

      2. Says the anonymous election genius who obviously didn’t read the story above OR several stories ago about the freedom caucus diverting money.

        Good people don’t want to be involved with YOU people anymore. You will ruin the GOP.

      3. I guess my last math class was more years ago than I care to count… But I don’t think a 112 vote difference with less than 2500 turning out to vote is “doomed” by anyone’s definition. And didn’t over 60% of her overall campaign donations come from individual contributions? I looked at those names – the grand majority are notable Dist 3 voters in my Rolodex. I don’t think the boisterous “senator elect” can claim the same, his contributions were either from out of district, freedom caucus members or (GASP!) PACS!
        And going off those same lists, “big money PACs”? Like the SD Teachers? SD Contractors? Her largest being a PAC donation from a group of notable D3 residents?
        I guess I don’t see the oddity or corruption you’re claiming for Katie’s camp, here?
        Carl’s – that stirs some questions…

        Sounds like you guys are still scared of the young Ms. Washnok – afraid she’ll take another swing when voter turnout isn’t so abysmal? I’d be scared too.
        But find a new narrative. This one doesn’t fact check; then again facts never have bothered any of you much, have they?

        1. Katie should run again for state senate. She could win it and she does have a political future.

        2. To assume this comment is true, is to assume that voters in these districts know Lee Schoenbeck. They don’t.

          Larry nailed it. Low voter turnout. Katie is a champion and she would kick Carl’s A@@ in a normal year. He should start getting his poop in a group and trying to actually work in Pierre. Or else….

      4. What does the secretary resigning have to do with Katie’s campaign? Obsession or fixation?

      5. That you, Carl? Carl, give it a rest already. You won. We get it. You won by a whole 112 votes. You had to lie and say horrible things about that little blonde girl. But you won. Good for you. Now, go away and let it lie already!

        Have fun paying your penance to Toby Doeden, can’t wait for those favors to be called in!

  3. As a brown county republican I am worried. That now after this and other events. That Jake’s buddy Toby’s people are going to take over the party now. 😬😬😬😬😬

    1. Newsflash for you, they already have taken over. The whack-a-doodle’s should have been called out in 2016, but nah – it was politically convenient then. As I have said many times, ya reap what you sow.

  4. I hope the Republicans of Brown County are paying attention, if they’re not – they should be very concerned.
    Ashley is another catastrophic loss for the Brown County GOP. She’s well connected across the state from her years working in Pierre, she’s a lawyer, and one hell of a hard worker.
    There’s no leadership left on that board, just power hungry kool-aide commie-comrades.
    Congratulations Brown Co. you’ve joined the ranks of “believe what we tell you, or you’re not a ‘real Republican’.”

    1. Libertarian Constitutional activist takeover and anyone who is not as pure or disagrees with them are all RINOs. Conspiracy consumed nuts.

      1. To borrow from Indigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

        1. Sometimes what is thought to be inconceivable is actually merely improbable.
          So, “do nothing which is of no use” is a better standard to consider.

      2. Dont conflate MAGA and libertarians. I think the libertarians are flat out dumb on some stuff (Austrian economics doesnt even attempt to mathematically model its claims(lest everyone see they are full of it)), but they arent malicious and respect individual liberty. MAGA only believes in people living how MAGA demands they do.

  6. So what do we have left?

    I’m assuming that the veep will ascend to the chair position. Making it look like this.

    Chair: Rich Hilgaman who is the last left from the Char Cornelius throne. Hope there’s at least some sense left in him.
    Vice Chair: Vacant. My guess is Ashton Dennert will take that spot. Has to be a person that identifies as female.
    Finance: Erin Bergan. A fence post has more smarts and personality than her
    Secretary: Vacant. Might as well throw Mr Bergan in there. Same personality.
    Committeeman: Drew Dennert. He’s really the chair of this group. He’s the puppet master, and does what Al tells him to do. Brown County’s biggest mistake is Drew.
    Committeewoman: let’s be honest, the last election was between Heidi Engelhart and MJ Lunzman. We didn’t have a choice. Heidi will keep promoting her pro life anti woman agenda until she’s blue in the face. The party has changed. She hasn’t.

    I will get my popcorn ready for when a Democrat is elected here and heads start to roll.

  7. The Legislature won’t have the guts or the votes to move SOS and AG to a statewide primary. So as we see the far right take over the county parties, look for them to install their own people in these spots at the next convention. Then, and only then, will there be support for moving some of these office to a primary vote instead of being chosen by a couple hundred people. And it will probably be an Initiated Measure that gets it done.

    1. I agree with everything you said, but with one tweak: the far right will install one of their own in SOS and AG. Then the SDDP will select moderate Democrats to run against the far right candidates, and we’ll end up with our first democrat in a statewide elected seat in decades. Then, the establishment will finally be motivated enough to put an end to the far right’s madness and will get passed an IM moving statewide offices into a primary system.

  9. Anon 8:01: Where else do people get to really talk about what is going on in the party? So bold a comment, when you are posting……..anonymously. LMFAO

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