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Hansen and Lems Highlight Gubernatorial Campaign Goals

In Brief: Candidates discuss what they can do for Watertown, statewide issues in extensive KXLG interview
Northern Plains News, LLC  –   By Steve Jurrens, KXLG Radio

WATERTOWN, S.D. (KXLG Radio) —South Dakota House Speaker Jon Hansen and Speaker Pro Tempore Karla Lems, running as a Republican ticket for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, made a focused campaign stop in Watertown on Friday.

They engaged with local Republican community members. Their day included a discussion with the Codington County Republican Women’s group, followed by a public meet and greet, and a show of support for a local family event.

KXLG News was invited to cover the Republican Women’s group meeting, and shortly after, Hansen and Lems stopped by KXLG studios for a short exclusive interview.

The legislative leaders, who have formally launched their gubernatorial campaigns, reiterated their platform while discussing their stop in Watertown…

Hansen highlighted their work on issues ranging from private property rights to Amendment G.

Hansen, a resident of Dell Rapids and married with six children, emphasized his long-standing commitment to preserving South Dakota’s “faith, family, and freedom.”

Lems, from Canton, discussed her work in the legislature.

She also shared her recent trip to Washington, D.C. with Hansen to advocate for South Dakota’s property rights law (HB 1052) against potential federal overreach.

When asked about what sets their campaign apart from other declared candidates, Hansen reiterated their “track record” and “authenticity.”

A key point of their platform, discussed by Hansen, is reducing the power of the Governor’s office

Hansen criticized the existing “slush fund” that allows the governor to allocate money to businesses, citing examples such as the “True Shrimp” company in Madison, which received millions in taxpayer money but never materialized.

The issue of property taxes was another focus of their message. Hansen described the current property tax system as “flawed,” arguing it taxes “unrealized gains” and creates a feeling of never truly owning one’s property.

He announced the creation of a legislative task force, which recently held its first meeting in Sioux Falls, with a “minimum goal” to deliver a “50 percent property tax cut for owner-occupied property owners in South Dakota.”

Lems echoed the importance of property taxes and property rights, listing them as top issues she hears about from citizens across the state. She also highlighted the need for greater “government transparency” and accountability.

Following their interview, Hansen and Lems attended a meet-and-greet at Pizza Ranch from 3 to 4 p.m., allowing them to interact directly with attendees. To conclude their day in Watertown, the candidates joined the Haven Center’s family field day at Stoke’s Thomas Lake City Park at Lake Kampeska in Watertown, SD, demonstrating their support for the local pregnancy center and its mission.

Both candidates concluded their remarks by urging voters to support their campaign. They directed interested individuals to their website, hansenlems2026.com, and their social media platforms for more information.

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In recent days, the D30 State Senator had been mentioned as a possible AG candidate, but she confirms she’s taking a pass on that contest.

After her authoritative win over Julie Frye Mueller in the 2024 primary, District 30 State Senator Amber Hulse’s name has been mentioned for several offices for 2026.  But the Senator herself would not want you to wargame the Attorney General’s race possibilities with her name as part of it.

In a statement released to dakotawarcollege.com, the Senator says an AG race is a no go for her at this point:

“I’m humbled by Attorney General Marty Jackley’s confidence and support. As a first‑generation lawyer, I don’t take that lightly. The opportunity to serve as South Dakota’s next Attorney General would be an incredible honor. However, I believe God is calling me to serve our state in another way. I wish every success to whoever becomes South Dakota’s next guardian of the rule of law—our ‘top cop.’”

The only currently announced candidate for Attorney General is former Senator and current Fall River County State’s Attorney Lance Russell.

Others mentioned in the race include Perkins County State’s Attorney Shane Penfield among other SA’s currently holding that office, including Dan Nelson in Brookings, and Austin Hoffman in McPhereson counties.

Gubernatorial hopeful Jon Hansen is also mentioned as possibly using it as his plan B in his race for governor, despite lacking prosecutorial experience, since republican party convention delegates choose the candidate for that contest after the primaries are over next June.

The Argus Leader is reporting this evening that the announced Democrat Candidate for Governor, Robert Arnold, referred to two of the Republican candidates running for the nomination next June as neo-nazis in a speech today:

Arnold told the crowd he felt initially hopeless after Donald Trump was elected in November, because he knew Republicans “were going to steal our country and sell it to billionaires.”

But Arnold said he felt motivated to run after South Dakota House Speaker Jon Hansen and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden — whom he called “neo-nazis” in his speech — filed to run for governor.

Read the entire story here.

Why would someone have that impression? No comment from 2% (Hansen) or 4% (Doeden)…

But I can’t help but remember that one of them, Toby Doeden, was claiming statistics noting increased violence against Jewish-Americans was “fake..”

And didn’t Toby Doeden double down on his rally with the “I’m a black Nazi” guy, AFTER everything came to light about his internet activities last October?

I seem to recall that Toby – that same candidate – still has someone working for his campaign who was proclaiming “white-boy summer” while pictured in a Doeden campaign jacket a week or so ago..

And as it was just pointed out to me, 2% Jon Hansen isn’t exactly pure as the driven snow, and was one of the voices against clarifying antisemitism as an unfair or discriminatory practice, leading an effort to kill it in committee and voting against it on the house floor.

I suppose if a candidate is going to paint with this kind of broad brush, there’s a chance that some people are going to guess they got their clothes a little spattered.

Johnson’s Landmark Digital Asset Framework Legislation Passes House

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act passed the U.S. House by a 294-134 vote. The CLARITY Act would establish a clear regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States, protect consumers and investors, and keep innovation in America.

U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Agriculture subcommittee on digital assets, introduced this legislation in May along with Committee on Agriculture Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-AR), and Financial Services subcommittee on digital assets Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI). The CLARITY Act passed the House Agriculture Committee and House Financial Services Committee with bipartisan support in June.

“If America doesn’t lead in digital asset development, we risk losing innovation to Europe or our adversary China,” said Johnson. “Our CLARITY Act puts in place a strong, commonsense framework to give developers and consumers the certainty they need to thrive in the United States. I’m grateful for the work of my colleagues who helped get this bill across the finish line in the House and I am hopeful the Senate acts soon – there is no time to waste.”

“Today’s bipartisan passage of the CLARITY Act marks a historic step forward in delivering clear rules of the road for America’s digital asset ecosystem,” said Chairman Thompson. “This bill delivers on President Trump’s goal of making the United States the crypto capital of the world by providing the regulatory certainty needed to foster innovation, safeguard consumers, and ensure America leads in the next generation of financial technology.”

“At present, there is no established market structure to protect consumers or provide clear rules of the road for businesses and innovators. It’s the wild, wild west! Congress must deliver market structure legislation that brings clarity,” said Rep. Don Davis (D-NC), Ranking Member of the Agriculture subcommittee on digital assets. “Millions of Americans are holding cryptocurrency, using it in financial transactions, or using other digital tokens as part of new, innovative technologies and services. There must be consumer protections, and the United States must lead.”

Click here or the image above for Johnson’s floor remarks

The CLARITY Act will:

• Establish clear regulatory lanes between the two market regulators: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
  • Digital asset developers will have a clear pathway to raise funds under the SEC’s jurisdiction.
  • Market participants will have a trusted pathway to trade digital commodities through intermediaries and exchanges overseen by the CFTC.
• Protect consumers by requiring developers to provide accurate, relevant disclosures, including information relating to the digital asset project’s operation, ownership, and structure.

 Background:

• Digital assets and related blockchain technology have the potential to form the foundation of the next generation of internet innovation.
• However, regulation-by-enforcement and ongoing regulatory ambiguity have stifled innovative potential while leaving consumers unprotected.

Click here for the text of the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act.

Click here for a section-by-section.

Click here for a three-pager.

Click here for a one-pager.

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Thune Debunks Democrats’ Medicaid Falsehoods

“By refocusing available Medicaid dollars on those this program was originally intended to serve, we will make vulnerable Americans more secure – and ensure that this program will continue to be available to Americans in need long into the future.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Click here to watch the video.

South Dakota Attorney General Jackley, SD News Media Association Release Updated Open Meeting Laws Guide

PIERRE, S.D. – An updated Open Meetings Law Guide, which includes revisions made by the 2025 South Dakota Legislature, has been released by South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and the South Dakota NewsMedia Association (SDNA).

The guide is designed to explain the state’s meeting laws and is intended to fulfill the Attorney General’s obligation to annually provide an explanation of the state’s open meeting laws.

“Open meeting laws create transparent government,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This brochure provides guidelines to the media, government agencies, and the public.”

This year’s State Legislature approved two major changes to the State’s Open Meeting Laws.

Senate Bill 74 created the obligation for public bodies to annually review the state open meetings laws by reviewing an explanation prepared by the Attorney General. House Bill 1059 changed the definition of an official meeting to make clear that electronic communications between a quorum of a public body constitute an official meeting. Both laws took effect July 1.

“We appreciate the support these bills received from legislators, the Attorney General, and Gov. Rhoden,” said SDNA Executive Director David Bordewyk. “Citizens have the right to know what is happening within their local governments.”

The guide can be found at the Attorney General’s website at: https://atg.sd.gov/docs/January%2017%202024%20OMC%20brochure.pdf and the South Dakota NewsMedia Association’s website at: https://www.sdna.com/about.

 

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From SD Strong on Facebook, funeral services have been announced for former Senator Mike Diedrich:

Attorney General Jackley Announces Clark Man Indicted For First Degree Murder In Death of His Mother

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces a Clark man has been indicted on First-Degree Murder in the death of his mother.

Bowen Fladland, 34, was indicted by a Clark County Grand Jury on Wednesday. The next hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. July 21.

The defendant is accused in the July 5 murder of his mother, 70-year-old Marlene Fladland, at a Clark residence.

South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Clark Police Department. The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office and the Clark County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The defendant is being held on a $500,000 cash bond in the Codington County Jail. He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if found guilty. He is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.

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Johnson, Peters Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Digitize the Permitting Process 

The ePermit Act would digitize the permitting process across the federal government

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA) introduced the bipartisan ePermit Act to digitize the United States permitting process, reducing processing time for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews.

In April, President Trump published a memorandum to emphasize the importance of modernizing permitting technology. In May, President Trump launched a Permitting Technology Action Plan directing federal agencies to make maximum use of technology in the environmental review and permitting process. The ePermit Act builds on the recommendations from the Administration and provides legislative clarity and direction on how agencies should implement such an electronic permitting system.

“The government, industries, and citizens all agree that it takes too long to build in America,” said Johnson. “Completing the permitting process by paper is an archaic waste of time. Digitizing the system will speed up the process, save federal dollars, and cut down delays. Making this commonsense change will unleash investment in American communities and workers.”

“Our permitting system is old, complicated, and slow—if we want to build the roads, bridges, broadband, and clean energy of the future, we need to modernize and streamline the permit process,” said Peters. “Our bipartisan ePermit Act builds on the efforts of the last two Administrations and brings our permitting process into the 21^st century. I look forward to working with Representative Johnson to pass this commonsense bill into law.”

Background:

The current permitting process has failed to ensure project permitting is on-time and on-task. Oftentimes, the root causes of delays in the environmental review process have little to do with questions about environmental protection and a lot to do with failure to embrace modern technology and move on from legacy bureaucratic approaches, like paper forms.

Congress must address the root causes for delays, which include compiling and reviewing lengthy paper documents, a lack of accessibility and transparency – leading to misunderstanding, conflicts, and all too often, protracted litigation – and continued reliance on outdated technologies and processes for interagency review and comment.

The ePermit Act would address these root causes by establishing a framework for agencies to implement a digital permitting system and unified portal.

Click here for bill text.

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KELOland had a nice story last night on First Lady Sandy Rhoden that’s worth watching: