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Regarding the SDGOP’s new Treasurer, State Rep. Tina Mulally, I had forgotten the specifics on the grumbling over Tina’s prior stint as a political organization treasurer for the South Dakota Federation of Republican Woman. That is, until I had a conversation with a politico today who reminded me.

I bring you a couple of examples from the SDFRW’s political campaign finance filings during Tina’s time as their Treasurer that she signed her name to and turned into the Secretary of State:

First, the Pre-General report from 2018..

And the Pre-General report from 2020:

So, according to Tina the Treasurer, this group received NO contributions requiring itemization over the course of 2 -3 years, despite the 2016 pre-general report before her having around $2900 in itemized contributions, and the 2022 pre-general after her showing over $9,000 in itemized contributions.

I mean.. it could happen, I guess.  Some might find it highly unlikely, but it could happen.

Either way, I’m thinking that that in the coming 2 years, people are going to pay a lot closer attention to what Tina the Treasurer files for campaign finance at the state and federal level than she’s used to having in the past.

About 4-5 years back when I would regularly do work for the SDGOP on some of their mail big projects and we had a number of them running at one time – think slate mailers, GOTV Mailers, absentee mailers, etc., there was one point where the outstanding bills owed to me were in excess of $150,000.  Darn near all of that was postage and printing that I owed to someone else.  As a small business, I can tell you that the sheer amount of that outstanding bill made my shorts pucker a bit, because I know I didn’t have $150,000 in my account.

But, of course they made good on it as invoices were processed.  Maybe not the day before I sent the invoice as I might have liked, but they made good on it and paid their bills.  It’s a challenge that’s nearly every small business faces, but I knew the risk was low because the Party was well managed financially and had always been a good partner to do business with so it was easy to have that kind of faith in them.

But, that’s not always the case with political parties. There are periods when they fall on hard times.  If you’ve forgotten, South Dakota Democrats found themselves in a tough spot back in 2019:

South Dakota Democrats filed their latest federal campaign finance report yesterday, revealing that the party is carrying nearly $47,000 in unpaid debts and obligations against only $16,624.38 in cash on hand.

In response to the Democrat Party’s shaky finances, Republican Party Chairman Dan Lederman encouraged Democrats as part of their debt management plans to take care of local South Dakota vendors first before their Washington, DC consultants.

Lederman said “a review of Democrat’s latest financial report makes it look like they went on a spending spree without having the money to pay the bills. They owe money to a number of people, including Maryland consultants, a Washington, DC Computer firm, a Washington DC Law Firm, and a number of local businesses.”

Read that here. (original press release on a site that no longer exists).

To set the ship right, new SDDP Chair Randy Seiler himself went out and signed a personal loan to help them get back on their feet.

Before you start saying “yeah! that’s how those Democrats roll,” about the mote in their eye a few years back, I’d also refer you to the stick in the eye of Republicans. That was the SDGOP not that terribly long before that as in 2013, recently elected chairman Craig Lawrence had to go out and do the same thing to keep the SDGOP afloat:

Both he and his wife each personally signed for $10,000 loans – $20k total – that they were personally on the hook for to keep the South Dakota Republican Party afloat.  Why do I bring this up? The State Republican Party and those who make up the new SDGOP Establishment may very well be facing a similar situation in coming months. The question is whether or not they realize it?

Over the course of the last 2 years, the chaos in the Republican Party, and the non-participation of their county organizations has put the SDGOP in a bad spot. If you recall my post from a few weeks ago:

Despite the South Dakota Republican Party’s model of county quota donations as a system set up by the SDGOP Central Committee to help support the group, not a single county donation is registered in their year end report this year. Not one. Nor in the pre-general report.  You have to go back to the pre-primary report, and only before the Primary the Meade County GOP sent in 2k. But nobody else. Why?  And to add insult to injury, you had people like the Minnehaha GOP sending nearly $20k to “various PACs and organizations.”

This lack of donors willing to support the Republican Party organization should be scaring the dickens out of the South Dakota Republican Party. The Republican Party outnumbers the Democrats in South Dakota more than 2-1, yet the SDGOP is on the verge of financial and electoral collapse if they can’t get their act together and put their eye back on the ball.

Read that here.

I’d add to that, some notes from the SDGOP’s treasurer report submitted yesterday to the Central Committee:

As of 2-13-25, we have two accounts. The state account is subject to state rules, contains money that belongs to CR’s and YR’s for their ease of reporting, and has $35,323.44 in it. The next report is due in January 2026 under current law. The federal account is subject to federal rules, is all our money, and has $51,762.87 in it.

Basically, The SDGOP Has $87k on hand – not all of it theirs, because CR’s and YR’s own some of it – and nobody is donating to them.   I did hear Meade and another county did a rare thing and paid their quotas, totaling around 4k, so let’s just say they have $85-87k to work with.  In the big scheme of things, that’s not very much.

What expenses are they facing in the short term? Here’s just an estimate off the top of my head:

• Insurance; Liability and for the State Fair Building
• Redoing the website, which many noted as a priority
• Salaries & Payroll Taxes; closing out Reggie R, and potentially hiring new staff
• Rent, Admin expenses & Office overhead
• FEC Report Consulting & Occasional Legal fees (no more free lunch from May, Adam, as they aren’t involved anymore)
• Campaign finance software
• Repair of State Fair Building? Was put off last year.
• Travel costs for GOP Chair, others.
• And I know I’m missing a lot. It will be more if they revive TAR camp, etc.

The SDGOP was running a burn rate of around $10k a month just in dormancy after the election. Clearly the new GOP Establishment is going to want to show they are in control.  But are they going to have money to do anything?

Little known fact, the SDGOP does not have their own “Republican Party credit card,” so they are either paying invoices where businesses have extended them credit, or someone – the SDGOP Chairman, the Executive Director, etc., ends up personally footing the bill and expensing it for reimbursement, whether it for the gas and a ticket to drive across the state to go to a Lincoln Day Dinner, or an event is being held and the sound system guy wants cash up front, as is the rule when it comes to most political accounts.

This will be interesting to watch, as the next two years are all on them. This is the house they spent the last 2 years trying to take over, and now they have it. And on top of it, they’re being handed off $85,000 to start.

Much like the dog that has finally caught the car, and is now faced with answering the question “what do I do with it?” The new GOP Establishment may find themselves quickly running up against the difference between their want list, their needs, a.k.a keeping the lights on, and their bank account as they approach the coming months.

We’ll see if they have to figure out “who is willing to sign the bank loan?”

Supporting the Need for a New Prison in South Dakota
By Casey Murschel, Sioux Falls

The South Dakota Legislature is considering House Bill 1025, a crucial step in transferring funds to help build a much-needed new prison. This project is essential for our state’s future, addressing key issues such as rehabilitation, public safety, and fiscal responsibility.

Rehabilitation and Education

A new prison will provide significantly better opportunities for rehabilitation and education. Currently, the men’s prison is operating at 182% of capacity, making it incredibly difficult to run effective education, rehabilitation, and treatment programs. Overcrowding also poses significant safety risks for both staff and inmates.

The new prison will be designed with programming and treatment options in mind, ensuring that inmates have access to substance abuse treatment, mental health support, and vocational training. The new women’s prison is being built to provide a therapeutic community where substance abuse treatment and other rehabilitative services can be effectively administered. We can replicate this model in the men’s prison, but we are currently severely limited by space constraints. A properly designed facility will enable better rehabilitation outcomes, reducing recidivism and preparing inmates for successful reintegration into society with valuable skills and employment opportunities.

A Thorough, Three-Year Process

The decision to build a new prison is not rushed—it has been in the works since 2022, with summer studies, task forces, and at least seven legislative reviews. Expert consultants have recommended constructing a new men’s prison expandable to 1,516 beds on 160 acres near Sioux Falls. While no community is eager to host a prison, this location aligns with best practices seen nationwide. Furthermore, this initiative is strongly supported by police chiefs, sheriffs’, and state’s attorney organizations, recognizing the necessity for a modern, efficient facility.

The Fiscally Responsible Choice

South Dakota has an opportunity to build this prison at a guaranteed price of $825 million, but this offer expires on March 31, 2025. Delaying the project could lead to an additional $40 million or more in costs. Constructing a modern, secure facility made of steel and concrete is expensive but not extravagant—it is a responsible investment in public safety and state infrastructure. Any change in location would only drive up costs and disrupt communities further.

Additionally, South Dakota is using the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) model, the same approach successfully used for other state building projects over the past 10 years. There is a common misunderstanding of this process. Under the CMAR model, the construction manager solicits multiple bids on various components of the project, including precast, plumbing, electrical, security, and other critical elements. They then compile the best subcontractors offering the greatest value for the project. This process ensures that the state is protected from cost overruns, as the construction manager guarantees a final price, providing financial predictability and accountability.

South Dakota has a long history of fiscal responsibility, with balanced budgets, a strong state retirement system, and low taxes. Approving House Bill 1025 ensures we replace a 100-year-old facility with a modern, 100-year solution, securing safety and efficiency for generations to come. The 100th session of the Legislature has the chance to make the right decision—let’s move forward with this essential project.

—

Casey Murschel is a former Republican state legislator, Sioux Falls city council member, and in her younger years was a probation officer for the UJS Second Circuit.

Elections are over for the South Dakota Republican Party, and the new leadership for 2025-2026 is finalized.

Here’s what it looks like for the South Dakota Republican Party:

• Jim Eschenbaum, Chairman
• Janet Jensen, Vice-Chair
• Tina Mullally, Treasurer
• Starla Russell, Secretary

Well, Starla will do a nice job.

*Update*

Dakota Scout hung around long enough to pick up the people who were elected to the executive board:

Rounding out the regional advisory board for the party was: Tom Pischke in District 1, Ben Krohmer in District 2, Doug Post in District 3, Rich Hilgemann in District 4, Tom Bruner in District 5, and Ezra Hays in District 6.

Read that here.

Show of hands for those who are all excited now to donate money to the Republican Party?

My thoughts exactly.

Hot off my texts from party insiders – on ballot 2 at the Central Committee meeting, Ezra Hayes received 94 votes, and anti-pipeline activist Jim Eschenbaum received 103, making him the new chair of the SDGOP.

We’ll see how long this lasts. The job is a lot more than claiming you hate pipelines.

Next up will be a Vice-chair race between anti-pipeliner Sara Steever and Janet Jensen, infamous State Rep Phil Jensen’s wife.

(His first action as chair is to allow the Meade County chair to continue to running the elections. Way to take command, Mr. Chairman!)

Slightly good news on the GOP Chair race, Qualm was dropped on the first SDGOP Chair ballot.

Eschenbaum 94. Hayes 54. Qualm 49. Run off between Eschenbaum & Hayes. Needed 100 to win.

Round 2 is in process…

From the Central Committee meeting, it sounds as if the SDGOP is in the process of candidate nominations at the moment, and trying to figure out how they will vote for chair, so it will be a bit before we have results.

But, I did have an insider send me a resolution one group has on all the tables and will be pushing today:

Because the SDGOP that many of the people there want it to be is not a party of electing candidates, but one of standing on a soapbox.

Unfortunately, there’s too many of them who just don’t get what the purpose of a political party is.  It’s not to pass toothless resolutions that no one gives a flying f*rt about.

I have the feeling it’s going to be a painful couple of years.

Unfortunate ordering in the twitter feed, perhaps?

House Bill 1071 keeps the focus on patient-centered care
by Dr. Curtis Liedtke, DO Rapid City, South Dakota

It is no secret our state is facing a healthcare workforce shortage at all levels. To meet the needs of patients, we must have all available healthcare workers providing the care they are trained, educated, and qualified to provide to the fullest extent of that training and education. Allowing each healthcare provider to provide the care they are trained to deliver, without unnecessary regulation or red tape barriers, uses the limited workforce resources of our healthcare system most efficiently.

Physician assistants are advanced practice professionals like nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified professional midwives. Physician assistants are masters prepared providers. They complete their education at an accredited physician assistant program – one of which is at the University of South Dakota – which includes 1,200 hours of didactic classroom training and 2,000 hours of hands-on clinical experience. Physician assistants pass a national certification examination to become licensed and recertify their education on an ongoing basis.

Physician assistants are the only advanced practice providers still required to have a written supervision agreement with a physician before they can provide the care they are educated and competent to provide. This piece of paper does not require in-person, hands-on supervision by the physician. This piece of paper does not require the physician to be involved in the direct care of a patient. In fact, many physician assistants provide quality healthcare without having a physician in the same facility, the same city or even the same state.

A written supervision agreement does not translate to better healthcare outcomes, increased access to care or reduced healthcare costs. Instead, the supervision agreement causes barriers to licensure and employment for physician assistants and creates challenges for communities and facilities by limiting flexibility in setting up the healthcare team needed to meet patient needs in communities across our state.

HB 1071 allows a physician assistant to practice without a written supervision agreement like other advanced practice professionals in South Dakota. The bill also puts the scope of practice for physician assistants into statute so their role and responsibilities on the healthcare team are transparent to the patient and to the members of the healthcare team. House Bill 1071 specifically requires physician assistants to collaborate with all members of the healthcare team as the standard of care, reflecting how physician assistants practice today as part of our healthcare teams.

As a physician with 45 years of experience training and working with PAs, I know firsthand that a patient-centered healthcare team allows professionals from various disciplines to work collaboratively, within their unique roles (or “lanes”), to deliver coordinated, high-value, and patient-centered healthcare consistent with each professions training, education, and qualifications. This healthcare team model allows us to maximize the limited workforce resources of our healthcare system most efficiently.

House Bill 1071 allows physician assistants to do what they are educated and competent to do “in their lane” as part of the healthcare team. House Bill 1071 does not widen the lane on the healthcare highway for physician assistants– it establishes that lane and removes unnecessary red tape. Our healthcare workforce needs are growing. House Bill 1071 helps address that need and keeps the focus on patient-centered care.

From Facebook, South Dakota Republican Party Executive Director Reggie Rhoden is announcing tonight that he is leaving his position as ED for the SDGOP. In part…

I’ve always been intentional about avoiding direct employment under my father. I don’t care at all for the word ‘nepotism’. That’s why I’ve always been diligent to earn my own way, build my own relationships, and stand on my own merit. Titles and opportunities should be based on hard work and ability, not last names. But with my own father becoming the 34th Governor of South Dakota in the middle of the term, I find myself in a rather unprecedented position.

The SDGOP will elect a new Chairman this Saturday. Typically, someone in my position would work closely with the Chair and Governor to help shape that decision. However, with the Governor being my own father, I believe it would resemble a conflict of interest for me to take on that role. It also wouldn’t be fair to the party that has been so good to me and my family for so many years.

This is why I wanted to use this post to announce that I’ll be stepping down from my position as Executive Director of the South Dakota Republican party. While I’ve made the decision to no longer fill the job, I do intend to finish it. Regardless of who the next Chairman is, I will remain so long as it takes to ensure the party undergoes a smooth and transparent transition. I have been diligent not to show favoritism or public support for any Chairman candidate, and hope to serve as an example for future politicians in positions like mine.

I’ve greatly enjoyed my time as ED, and I’ll remember it as a highlight, but equally optimistically, I’m looking forward to what the future has to offer. Thank you to all of you who have donated to the party, volunteered at events, served on your local GOP, or just passed on a kind word about us. A kind word has a lot of potential. Thank you, Chairman Wiik for allowing me this opportunity to serve the SDGOP alongside you for the past year. Thank you Vice-Chair Fitzgerald for everything you’ve done and the hours of labor you put in for the party and for our family. Treasurer Koenecke, for your sound advice and wealth of knowledge. Secretary Oakes, for your comradery and compassion during the difficult times.

It’s been an honor to serve the South Dakota Republican Party.

Reggie, thank you for your time and effort for the South Dakota Republican Party.