D3 Senate finally in; Novstrup in a landslide (Updated)

Update:

After being silent for the night, Cory makes a statement about his loss. In probably the most ungracious and bitter manner possible:

…For all my cogitation over the past decade-plus of blogging, for all my efforts to inspire by example and run a smart, efficient, principled, and fearless campaign, I couldn’t break 40%, either, against a petty man who sits around the last days before an election watching football and stoking fears of Sharia law. I did everything I thought would provide a model for Democratic success, and I produced failure, just like every other new Democratic candidate (and several more experienced colleagues).

Beating the self-serving ignorance of the Republican Party should not be hard. Yet somehow, for us South Dakota Democrats, it is.

Read it here.

I did have a moment to chat with Senator-elect Novstrup this morning and oddly it sounds that while Heidelberger had enough time to compose a post where he called Novstrup names, he couldn’t find a moment to physically get on the phone, call Al, and congratulate him in his race.  Unlike Hoerth. Or Dennert. Or Elliot, who all managed to have enough class to do so after their hard fought battles.

So much for losing with dignity.

Senator Rounds’ Statement on Election Results

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MikeRounds official SenatePIERRE – U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on the election results:

“Congratulations to Sen. Thune, Rep. Noem and all of the other candidates who have won their elections tonight.  It is a pleasure to work with Sen. Thune and Rep. Noem and I look forward to our continued efforts to improve the quality of life for hard-working South Dakotans.”

“I would also like to congratulate President-elect Trump. President-elect Trump’s victory isn’t a surprise if you’re connected and listening to real Americans, although I’ve always said he will have an uphill fight. I have  traveled all over South Dakota and the sense of frustration with the federal government is at an all time high. I share that frustration. Mr. Trump has successfully tapped into that emotion by relating to voters’ frustration with their government. Since arriving in the U.S. Senate 22 months ago, I have been frustrated by the lack of focus on the big issues: debt, tax reform, mandatory payments, out of control healthcare costs, and regulatory overreach.  I believe this election sends a message and it is time to get to work on the issues that matter.”

“While we may not agree on every issue, we should all agree that we want American families to prosper and to provide the next generation every opportunity to achieve the American dream. We have serious issues challenging our country.  It will take leadership and cooperation to address these challenges.”

“In 2026, just ten years from now, on the 250th birthday of America, 99 percent of the federal government’s revenue will go toward two categories: interest on the federal debt and mandatory payments. Now that the election is behind us, I stand ready to work with President-elect Trump and my colleagues in Congress to address these problems head-on.”

GOP House members up 2

After last night’s election, the South Dakota GOP is moving from a 58-12 split to 60-10, with Democrats losing another 2 seats in the State House on top of their loss of two in the State Senate.

Make no mistake, In South Dakota, Democrats lost big last night!

GOP to pick up 2 seats in the State Senate

South Dakota Republicans are enjoying a good night tonight, and in the State Senate are set to gain 2 seats over their current split of 27-8 and turn it into a 29-6 split.  The GOP is picking up formerly held Democrat seats in Districts 4 & 8, while Democrats are not picking up any of their own.

John Wiik decimated Kathy Tyler in her bid to keep the Seat Democrat, and in a squeaker, Jordan Youngberg ousted Scott Parsley from his Senate Seat to mark the end of Democrat control of the seat, returning it to the GOP column.

The House has some races that are too close to call, still with results out. But hang on, I’ll get it in the AM..

Is this happening?

Are we really going to win many of our toss-up races?!

Youngberg won in a squeaker. Wiik won assertively. Langer is winning. Mike Clark is ahead of Saba, Jensen spanked Tornburg by 1500 votes, Pischke has a commanding lead, and Hunt is ahead of Ahlers….

If these numbers hold, this is almost like a wave election against Democrats..

Stay tuned.

John Thune Ascendant. 

In front of an excited crowd of supporters and well wishers…

A beaming United States Senator John Thune addressed the crowd with his thanks for a race well run, as he was surrounded on stage by his family.

What a great night to be a South Dakota Republican!

Thune Statement on Re-Election to U.S. Senate

Thune Statement on Re-Election to U.S. Senate
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on his re-election to the U.S. Senate:

“Serving the people of South Dakota in the U.S. Senate has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to continue fighting for them in Washington, D.C.,” said Thune. “The Republican-led Senate has accomplished a lot of important things over the last few years for the American people, and no matter which party holds the majority next January, there’s still a lot of hard work that lies ahead. As U.S. senator, I’ve always worked to put South Dakota’s interests first, and that commitment to our great state will never change.  

“No run for public office is won alone, which is why I want to thank Kimberley, Brittany, and Larissa for being my biggest supporters over the years. My family has grown quite a bit since my last election to the Senate. I’m blessed to have two strong, hard-working sons-in-law, a granddaughter, and another grandchild who’s on the way. It’s because of my family’s love and support that I’m continually inspired to serve.”

Thune was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004 after defeating then-Minority Leader Tom Daschle and was re-elected in 2010, an election in which he ran unopposed.

During the 114th Congress, Thune serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which has jurisdiction over rail transportation, among other areas. He also serves on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Finance. Thune is also chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, making him the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate. 

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