Bruce Whalen climbs aboard Hubbelcraft as first mate. (Whalen to run for Lt. Gov. with Lora Hubbel)

Pat Powers

From the Mitchell Daily Republic, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Lora Hubbel has named former Republican Congressional candidate Bruce Whalen as her running mate.

Despite not having the signatures to get on the ballot yet:

Bruce Whalen, who challenged then-U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in the 2006 midterm election, was announced as Hubbel’s running mate. Hubbel, a Republican, is the first candidate to announce a candidate for lieutenant governor.

“It is a great honor for Lora to consider me as a running mate,” Whalen said in a press release. “Lora knows of my advocacy for increasing quality of life on Indian Reservations and my views that federal policy induces a void of jurisdiction between state and federal governments with federally recognized tribes.”

Read it here.

Hubbel had previously hinted at the Whalen pick via facebook at the time she was trying to claim she was not being racist for calling Democrat State Senator Troy Heinert “Pocahontas” and “A Dutchman pretending to be an Indian.”

So, Bruce Whalen decided to climb aboard the Hubbelcraft to join Lora as the spaceship’s first mate? Well, good luck with that.

68 thoughts on “Bruce Whalen climbs aboard Hubbelcraft as first mate. (Whalen to run for Lt. Gov. with Lora Hubbel)”

  1. Lora has no chance, but at least found someone to run with her.

    I am curious who Jackley is considering…speculation thoughts anyone?

    Kristi I have heard has Steve Westra and Larry Rhoden on her short list…both solid picks

    1. Don’t most candidates wait until after the primary to choose a running mate? That leaves open the possibility of choosing an opponent in the primary. For example, Jackley could ask Kristi to be his running mate or Kristi could ask Jackley to be hers, depending upon who wins. Although I’m not sure I see either as all that likely in this particular election. At any rate, I would have to think Mickelson would be on either’s short list if he was interested in the Lieutenant position before his own eventual run.

      2. or Shantel when she loses would be available….or run for SOS again

        I know I would just like the GOV nominee to pick ahead of the primary giving us all insight into who they believe would be a possible good governor and you also get a second fundraiser, surrogate out there working hard for your team.

    2. Rhoden would be an interesting pick, considering he has consistently dominated Marty’s “hometown” district.

  2. Rhoden will be left out. Noem’s inner circle will keep him close through the election but he will be turned away for number 2.

    She should do something unique and pick Gil Moyle from Rapid city. A business man and big supporter of hers.

  3. Lora will not show up the day after the primary and try to walk into the Governors office in Pierre and think it is hers will she? Her grasp of reality is concerning.

  4. Hubbel and Whalen make a great team. They will deal with corruption and cronism. They will empower Indian Country instead of enabeling them as victims. Poltical correctness goes bye bye with those two.

  5. Either did Mike Rounds. lol. Never give up. She is highly qualified. Self-made women and her runningmate is a Vet.

    1. Rounds raised and still spent 140k…was in state senate for 10 years….

      Lora has $100 on hand (Granted that is more than Fitzgerald or lafleur) but nothing for a serious candidate

      and she got elected to one term

      NO CHANCE

      What is her message…she is all over the place

  6. You had to have money back then to get your message out on tv commercials, and mailings. Now we have social media, you tube, twitter, fb, blogs, websites, email. Haven’t seen one commercial yet. Rounds only started raising money when the campaign went to war between Kirby and Barnett. Lora’s opponents have the money, but Lora has the message. Town Halls are pretty inexpensive.

    1. Tara I realize you and Lora believe she will surprise everyone and win to be our next Governor but if she loses and loses badly in the primary will she stop running for office?

        1. we can count on Lora running for Governor every election cycle? Next time under the Constitutional Party or Republican? Democrat Party? Libertarian?

            1. Not really, I got blocked on the LEAD fb page. It they don’t agree with you, they block you.

              1. Lora as past Chair of the Constitution Party cannot seem to make up her mind what party she is in. Mike Meyers a Democrat (RIP Mike we loved you) Independent, Republican and the Save Earth from UFO Party tomorrow.

                1. You guys are so hung up on party, it’s unbelievable. Did you forget about the other 60% of SD.

    2. Rounds won because he was an alternative to the mudslingers, successfully worked in Pierre and he was also highly competent to the task.

      Lora is a mudslinger, can’t work with anyone and competence is not a characteristic of hers.

      1. Yes Pat, and your blog is exploding with comments. You sound a lot nicer on KSOO than on your blog.

  8. Lora Hubbel
    February 7 at 10:12am ·
    Why I am not always nice….

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    Laura Veal Awesome job Lora
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  9. Tara, you keep comparing Lora to Mike Rounds. Stop. Mike let 2 other guys battle and played the nice guy, that’s how he won. Lora does nothing put play they Looney Tunes card. Zero chance.

      1. Funny Tara, but you raise a good point. Scott Hoy had more of a message in his “please stop” commercial than Lora does in her entire campaign.

  10. I can appreciate why my friend Bruce Whalen has no interest to run with traditional SD GOP candidates. He was burned badly and abandoned by top players in the SD GOP during his run for US House. It was certainly an early eye opener for me when I initially started out as a SD GOP candidate wannabe. Regardless, I hope Bruce does an immediate about face on his linkage with Hubbel. No matter that she is toxic, not a reasonable human being, maliciously accusatory, and a lousy Christian, not a leader in any sense, etc, etc.,,,, in a decade of knowing her I’ve not once caught any vibe of concern from her relating to natives or native issues.

    Bruce would do better to join ranks with my growing list of Republicans for Sutton friends who may surface if Jackley wins the primary. Sutton is pro-life, consistently, and the corruption clean up we are seeing in DC will happen in SD if he is elected. If Noem wins, I don’t see Republicans for Sutton materialising unless he picks an East River Republican for a running mate. Then it’ll all get very interesting. Maybe he will. Inquiring minds are watching closely.

    1. Steve, Bruce knows Lora a hell of a lot better than you do. My. my you are quite judgemental for being a Man of God. Jesus loves Lora.

        1. But you will be supporting him in the general election if Jackley wins the GOP nomination, is that correct?

          1. I will. Because a) of his concern for our state’s number one issue…. third world conditions and systemic misery and hopelessness within our borders and the shared fatigue with the old excuses that the fix can only be Federal and Financial. (Noem does share this concern.) And, b) because Billie is consistent in his belief in the sanctity of human life and Marty is not. And because c) Billie is dialed in on the corruption that has been been swirling around Marty now for a number of years. Those are my reasons. There are other Republicans on my Republicans for Sutton list who have their own reasons. But those are mine.

            1. Additional thought couched in rodeo verbiage….
              Hanging on during the ups and downs of good and bad national economies (SD is entirely dependent of Fed money and the economy outside of our state) is the stuff of any UNMEMORABLE South Dakota Governor. A couple decades later no one will know their name except a few politicos in Pierre who show up when they place the next bronze statue on the street corner.

              We need a legacy governor who works to change life for the better for our neighbours, who are native. A governor who inspires the entire state toward neighborliness and goodwill resulting in ridding the Rez of hopelessness will go down in the history books as a national hero.

              A few years ago I was telling Mickelson this mantle was on him. But he didn’t run. So I’ve since told him to start the Mickelson Foundation for Reconciliation and get a Truth and Reconciliation Commission underway here so we can address the justified, mutual suspicions and animosities, name the ongoing criminal justice injustices, and start over as good neighbors. I even think we ought to beat ND to the punch and rename the state “Dakota” as a gesture to natives that we acknowledge this land was their land and a gesture toward friendship – Dakota means friend- and drop the “south” because it represents division and borders that continue to be a rub to native people in our midst.

              I probably shouldn’t even get started on this subject because I can’t be brief.

              South Dakota could become great in God’s eyes. Maybe that would be a good new state slogan because the great faces thing of Mt Rushmore represents a past we need to step out of. Greatness in Gods eyes has nothing to do with prosperity or military might. It has to do with goodness and generosity. I want to hear a gubernatorial candidate talk about these types of virtues. Tit for tat political philosophies, right and left, increasingly bore me. Time to change things up.

              Anyone else want to make a difference before they die???

              2. Well maybe you should have gone to Pine Ridge and whitnessed authenticity in action during the last gubernatorial campaign.

  11. I am aware any east river Republican who joins a Democrat ticket will have to switch parties. That would truly be a hard pill to swallow. However, the Hickey-Hildebrand way forward was to join up and do what is best for the state and I’m saying a gubernatorial ticket comprised of a Hillary voter and a Trump voter would be something the entire nation can learn from. It is the way forward in SD politics.

  12. I can see a lot of Democrats and Independents switching over to vote for Hubbel/Whalen. Outsiders are the new in.

    3. You are right. Hubbel’s support is non-Republican, because she is a Republican In Name Only.

  14. Tara is Lora’s entire campaign strategy based on you posting for her on online or is she traveling the state and talking to people?

  16. Instead of Hubbel/Whalen I always thought Hubbel/Hickey or Hickey/Hubel would be an interesting ticket for Governor. It would really be outside the box if they could get past their differences.

      1. Tara, be ashamed.

        My wife saw your comment. She laughed and said that lady hasn’t met me has she? Nor have you met my daughter who works in DC in the senate majority leaders office. You’d notice I cheer on strong women every chance I get.

        1. Your wife probably doesn’t submit, she outwits. So Steve, what is your problem with Nurse Rachet? You don’t agree that she supports the Republican platform? Now don’t get personal, ok. Stick to the issues.

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