From Facebook, the Dusty Johnson for Governor campaign is officially on the ballot:
In addition, I’m hearing they have set a high bar for accuracy as well, in terms of how many valid signatures they filed. Over 87%. That’s not too bad. Press release coming on this I’m told.
Attorney General Jackley Announces South Dakota To Receive $677,920 In Live Nation and Ticketmaster Antitrust Settlement
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces the state will receive $677,920 as part of the state’s settlement in the Live Nation and Ticketmaster anti-trust suit, and better entertainment ticket pricing with competition.
“Live Nation created an illegal monopoly that raised costs for entertainment in South Dakota shows. This settlement will improve entertainment pricing with competition,” said Attorney General Jackley. “I appreciate the U.S. Department of Justice and Attorney General Bondi for their leadership in this lawsuit.”
South Dakota was one of almost 40 states, plus Washington, D.C., that filed suit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which merged in 2010. The settlement requires Live Nation to let rival companies list show tickets on their platforms and caps exclusivity contracts with venues at four years.
Attorney General Jackley said South Dakota is one of several states to have formally settled its portion of the lawsuit.
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Rhoden for Governor Announces Key Staff
Pierre, SD – Today, the Rhoden for Governor campaign announced key staff for the upcoming June primary. Ian Fury will serve as Campaign Manager, and Lexie Warejcka will serve as Finance Director.
“I have a capable team in both my official office and on my campaign,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “Ian and Lexie are both incredibly competent, and I look forward to having them work with me on this campaign to help us keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.”
Ian Fury has served as Director of Communications for both Governor Rhoden and Former Governor Noem for the last six years. Most recently, he also served Governor Rhoden as a Senior Advisor and Unborn Child Advocate. His wife, Hannah, is from Winner, and they live in Pierre with two young children.
“I am unbelievably humbled that Governor Rhoden asked me to serve in this capacity,” said Campaign Manager Ian Fury. “The Governor is a leader who is Built to Last. He has already proven his ability to get things done. Now, we just need to deliver a victory so he can keep racking up results for the next four years.”
Lexie Warejcka has served in several capacities across state government, most recently as Administrative Director for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. She and her husband, Wade, live in Platte with two young children.
“Thank you to Governor Rhoden for the opportunity! I look forward to connecting with supporters across South Dakota who are committed to keeping our state strong, safe, and free,” said Finance Director Lexie Warejcka.
Fury and Warejcka are both taking unpaid leaves of absence from state government employment while they serve the Rhoden for Governor campaign.
Learn more about Governor Rhoden and his campaign at GovernorLarryRhoden.com.
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Lisa Bogue of Beresford Announces Candidacy for South Dakota House of Representatives in District 16
(Beresford, S.D.) – Farmer, small business owner, former teacher, tutor and lifelong South Dakotan Lisa Bogue announces her Republican candidacy for the District 16 South Dakota House of Representatives.
District 16 contains the counties of Lincoln, Turner and Union in southeastern South Dakota.
’I“m running because I care deeply about our community and the future we’re building for our children and grandchildren,” Bogue said. “District 16 deserves a strong, steady conservative voice in Pierre, someone who understands the values of hard work, faith, responsibility and the impact today’s decisions have on our future.”
Lisa and her husband, Marc, are parents of four adult children and are proud grandparents. Together they operate their fifth-generation family farm near Beresford, S.D. Lisa is also a small business owner. She tutors local students, serves as a 4-H leader, Sunday school teacher and is active in local farm organizations.
“Our farmers and ranchers feed and fuel this state,” she said. “South Dakota small businesses create opportunity and teachers play an essential role in educating our next generation. In Pierre, we need leaders who listen, value hard work and who are willing to stand up for the people back home.”
Bogue said her priorities include being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, an advocate to make our schools a priority so students are prepared for success and to stand up for family farmers, ranchers and small business owners.
The Republican Primary Election is June 2, 2026.
For more information, please contact Lisa Bogue’s campaign at lisabogue.com.
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Brent Hoffman Announces Candidacy for Minnehaha County Commission
HARTFORD, S.D. — Brent Hoffman announced today that he is seeking the Republican nomination for the Minnehaha County Commission. “It would be a great honor to represent the people of our county,” Hoffman said. “If elected, I will always remember who sent me there, and I will work hard on their behalf.”
Hoffman brings a long record of public service. He served a career in the military—both enlisted and as an officer—and survived the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11. He has long been involved in community service, including as a Big Brother and as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children. Hoffman has been elected to public office three times, serving on the City Council, School Board, and in the State Senate. He has earned recognition from organizations such as Concerned Women for America and the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Hoffman said he intends to run an issue-focused campaign centered on responsible government and transparency. He has advocated for fiscal discipline, tax restraint, and term limits, previously serving as chair of South Dakotans for Term Limits. “The best ideas in government rarely come from within government,” Hoffman said. “They come from conversations with the people we serve.”
Hoffman is a widower and lives on a farm near Hartford, where he remains active in the community. He holds several degrees, including an MBA from the University of South Dakota. He is also the author of Life After—a biography of his late wife—and Bailey: A Wonderful Life.
The primary election will be held June 2.
From facebook this weekend, it appears that District 5 House has picked up another participant in the Republican Primary. Seth Phillips, a Watertown businessman has declared his candidacy for the office, and has not just a facebook page up, but an entire website:
And apparently he’s a big Toby Doeden guy. I had a person mention to me that he might even specifically be a Doeden recruit for the legislature, in place of Rep. Garcia who is running for the Senate.
Getting away from Facebook, and over to his website, the website for District 5 State House Candidate Seth Phillips notes…
Seth’s life has included both challenges and growth. Earlier in life he made mistakes that forced him to take a hard look at the direction his life was heading. Through accountability, discipline, and a commitment to building something better, he turned his life around and focused on becoming the father and leader his family could depend on.
and..
Seth is running for State House to protect the South Dakota way of life, defend constitutional rights, support working families, strengthen education and career pathways, and ensure government remains accountable to the people.
Let’s talk about accountability. Because coincidentally, it appears that a Seth Phillips has a 9AM appointment tomorrow morning in a court room. I don’t think most people are thinking when they read Seth’s website referring to him making mistakes earlier in life that they’re thinking of earlier being a couple of weeks ago.
The charge? On 2/8/26, Seth Phillips was arrested at 10:45 in the morning for a violation of 32-23-2 (M1) DUI1 .08% OR MORE OF ALCOHOL IN BLOOD-IN VIOLATION OF 32-23-1. Tomorrow marks his initial appearance, 03/16/2026 at 09:00 AM here in a Brookings County courtroom according to UJS records. (docket number is 05CRI26-000175).
That would be notable enough for a candidate for office. Except, since his arrest for DUI, court records show that Seth Phillips was arrested again – while pending a court date for the first charge – on 2/27 for one count of 22-42A-3 (M2) USE OR POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA and a count of 22-42-24 (M2), SMOKING/CONSUMING MARIJUANA BY OPERATOR OF VEHICLE. He paid the ticket on those.
You know, if they could take him off the road at this point, I don’t think that would be a bad thing.
Unfortunately, you don’t have to go back very far to find more, including 32-12-65 (M2) DRIVING WITH SUSPENDED (NOT REVOKED) LICENSE (8/24/25), and more drug possession and driving with a suspended license in 2024.
That’s the recent stuff. If you keep reviewing, and you go back to 2019, we get to domestic abuse charges he eventually pled guilty to; 22-18-1(2) (M1) DOM ABUSE SIMPLE ASSAULT RECKLESSLY CAUSES BODILY INJURY for which he was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 136 days suspended. There’s even a 2016 sentence to the state pen (Incarcerated to Penitentiary for 3 Year(s) with 18 Month(s) suspended and credit for 74 Day(s) served). Which makes me question his eligibility to serve in the legislature.
§ 4. Disqualification for conviction of crime.... No person who has been, or hereafter shall be, convicted of bribery, perjury, or other infamous crime, …. shall be eligible to the Legislature or to any office in either branch thereof.
BTW, that would be for the House of Representatives to decide if it falls under the constitutional prohibitions and what constitutes an infamous crime. Regardless, if you’re a District 5 resident, and this is the record of accountability you want to bring to Pierre; by all means, you should choose to put Seth Phillips in office.
If not, there are two candidates who have NOT been sentenced to that building they’re replacing on the hill in Sioux Falls, and also have a pretty good record of public service; Bryon Callies, a former legislator and past National Vice Commander of the American Legion, and current Rep. Matt Roby, an attorney, former member of the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office and former Watertown city attorney.
If you’re a District 5 resident, let the choice be yours.
*Update*
The court date was pushed back to next week (3/23/26), I would guess due to weather.
From Facebook.. apparently some legislators spend too much time reading what their crazy aunt posts on Facebook:
Yeah… That’s not real:
Neither CBS News nor “60 Minutes” ever issued any such guidance. Further, a Facebook post is not a legal document. The act of copying and pasting a message on a user’s Facebook feed does not alter a user’s agreement of the company’s terms, privacy policy and cookie policy.
And..
The language Facebook “is now a public entity” was one clue that the posts featured an old rumor. Facebook held its initial public offering (IPO) on the stock market in 2012.
Snopes has reported on numerous variations of this same rumor since that year. The copied-and-pasted posts are part of a long-running hoax.
For further reading, we previously compiled a list of rumors involving Facebook “copypasta” — internet slang combining the words “copy” and “paste.”
And try not to be as gullible as you might find some of our legislators.
More reports from the frontline of politics this weekend in Sioux Falls this afternoon, as a number of candidates were represented in the St. Me.. er, St. Patrick’s Paradeas people scrambled to enjoy the spring event coming on the edge of a spring blizzard system that’s on the way:
My official parade observer noted that Governor Larry Rhoden was the only Gubernatorial candidate who was MIA in the Sioux Falls St Patrick’s day parade. Every other candidate had an entry. Even the Democrat.
The biggest turnout by far was – as expected – the ever enthusiastic Dusty Johnson parade crew;
Dusty had a good sized group with him. I don’t have a photo, but my correspondent noted Jon Hansen had some people but nowhere near as many. Toby Doeden apparently substituted his wrapped camper and staff for popular support.
I’m told that for Democrats, Dan Ahlers was there walking with Kadyn Wittman and other members of the loyal opposition.
For mayor, Christine Erickson had an enthusiastic crew walking with her (I’m told 35 people) as you can see from her Facebook post:
Other candidates in the lineup included Joe Batcheller, Jamie Smith, and even David Z was there with an entry. I was told by my correspondent that he did not see Greg Jamison in the lineup.
I do know that Greg had a coffee event first this this morning.
And the table was even sanitized for his group’s safety.
Where’s Toby Doeden, Greg Jamison and especially Jamie Smith? In fact, it would not appear that there are any democrats out stumping at the this weekend’s sportsmen’s show in Sioux Falls today, as the Who’s who of state politics have converged on the arena this weekend. The production usually has an attendance of 30,000 people through the doors of the Sioux Falls convention center, so it’s kind of the place to be.
Team Jackley seems to be hustling for some last minute signatures for the ballot, and talking with the people as they pass on by, as is Team Rounds, both with petitions at the ready.
Team Dusty is happy just to meet people and tell them about their candidate, as they’ve long had over 5000 petition signatures into the Secretary of State.
I’m told Jess Bahmuller is manning the booth for Larry Rhoden, as he has a petition sheet out, as well as a donation box. I think that’s Jess on the left.
Jon Hansen has a booth there. No report beyond a booth and a banner being there between a boat lift frame and a taxidermist.
And one of the local stars of the event, Sioux Falls Mayoral Candidate Christine Erickson is live at the event, signing people up for Team Christine:
If you’re in Sioux Falls before the blizzard hits, stop on by the Sports Show!
Regan Bollweg Announces Candidacy for District 24 in the South Dakota House of Representatives
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Regan Bollweg officially announced his candidacy for South Dakota House of Representatives in District 24.
“It would be a privilege to represent the people of District 24 in the State House,” Bollweg said. “I’m running because I believe in the future of our communities and our state. South Dakota succeeds when we support our farmers and ranchers, invest in strong schools, and ensure our teachers and state employees are fairly compensated.”
A lifelong resident of District 24, Bollweg will graduate from South Dakota State University in May with a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Business and a minor in Political Science. He also served with distinction as a student senator. After graduation, Regan will return to his family’s hunting and farming operation in rural Hughes County.
“I want to bring a strong voice for rural communities, agriculture, and the families and businesses of central South Dakota to the State Capitol,” Bollweg said. “District 24 deserves leadership that understands both our rural roots and the importance of our capital city.”
District 24 includes Haakon, Hughes, Hyde, Stanley, and Sully counties.
Absentee voting begins April 17, 2026. The Republican primary election will be held June 2, 2026.
For more information, visit BollwegforSD.com or follow the campaign on Facebook and X
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