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#SDGOP announces 431 Delegates from 56 Counties are participating in Saturday’s State Republican Party Convention.

So my wife and I sit down at the breakfast nook at the clubhouse, as I get ready to have something before the Republican party convention today, and who is all gathered in a little corner, but Phil Jensen, his wife, and R. Shawn Tornow all chattering away by the table my wife picked.

Funny, but the group quickly scurried away when they noticed us.

This comes amidst rumors this morning of cold feet on Phil’s part in the National Committeeman race. I would assume since the issues I pointed out earlier of his awful candidacy will be laid on him a hundred-fold by the national media, he might be having second thoughts.

We can only be so lucky.

From S.D. Searchlight comes an article on this weeks’ Republican Convention.

It’s going about as well as expected, as members of the hard right claim to the media that they’re being sidelined and oppressed. (insert eyeroll here, and cue the world’s smallest violin):

“There is a lot of frustration from the grassroots people who have come to partake in the convention,” said Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton, who won her primary.

She said some of those people feel party officials are attempting to sideline the everyday Republicans who make up the base of the party.

And..

“They believe themselves to be the base, but they don’t take into account the other 80% of registered Republicans,” Powers said. “They are by no means reflective of the views of South Dakota Republicans as a whole.”

He said the allegation that some people at the convention are being sidelined is “silliness.”

“If they have the votes, they can do what they want,” Powers said.

Read that here.

It’s not often I have to point out that well-to-do legislators probably should not consider themselves oppressed in any way, but, yeah. I don’t think PAC funding Karla Lems has been sidelined or oppressed.

And everyday Republicans are not here. It’s activists only, because everyday Republicans are in the fields, watching kids play ball, and doing everything EXCEPT being at a Republican Convention on a Friday in June.

With that being said.. Then there’s Phil Jensen.

…Rep. Phil Jensen, of Rapid City, is challenging Watertown Mayor and former legislator Ried Holien for the position of national committeeman.

Jensen said party members want and deserve more deeply conservative leadership.

“I want to be a voice for the grassroots,” Jensen said. “These county parties have gotten organized so that they can be represented.”

Read that here.

As I wrote on my website yesterday, as Republicans, it should give us all pause as to what image we want to represent. Because Phil Jensen might be the worst role model to represent South Dakota Republicans. Ever.

If you are unsure what I am referring to, I have a list. And it’s not complete.

And the convention continues to roll on.

Gov. Noem’s Freedom Works Here Wins ANOTHER National Award 

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem’s Freedom Works Here Ad, “Kiss My Abacus,” won a national award for Art Direction at this year’s Telly Awards. Previously, the “Bright Side” ad also won a national award at this year’s Reed Awards.

“Freedom Works Here tells South Dakota’s inspiring story to the entire nation,” said Governor Noem. “Freedom-loving folks from across America are recognizing that South Dakota really is the best state for them, for their businesses, and for their families. And I am proud that these ads are receiving so much national recognition.”

Freedom Works Here is the most successful workforce recruitment campaign in South Dakota history. Over 10,000 people have started the process to move to South Dakota, and thousands are already here!

To learn more, visit FreedomWorksHere.com.

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Here’s more about the woman who has thrown her name into the race for Public Utilities Commissioner against Kristie Fiegen. Because she sounds like a kook:

Amber Christenson of rural Strandburg and Linda and Timothy Lindgren of rural South Shore had filed a formal complaint on September 21, 2022, that Crowned Ridge Wind’s turbines in the area were making more noise than allowed by the PUC’s permit that was granted for the project in 2019 and alleging that Crowned Ridge failed to comply with a 2021 mitigation plan.

and..

Fiegen agreed with the contention by Crowned Ridge’s attorneys that the technical expertise involved in this case is beyond the knowledge of the average lay person. “As a commissioner, I’m upholding the law regarding the rules of evidence,” Fiegen said. “So Crowned Ridge, be prepared tomorrow (Wednesday) for the tough questions Amber has asked in her rebuttal, although they won’t be on the record in the evidence.”

and..

Said Nelson, “It’s unfortunate, certainly.” He noted that the commission had been working for four years on the sound-level issue. “Today was the day appointed to get to the bottom of this.”

Hanson described the situation as like “showing up at the wedding and the brides not there — it’s a little difficult” and said he was surprised. “I’m just amazed she is not here. I hope nothing bad happened on the drive here,” he said. “It leaves us with no other direction than to support the motion.”

and..

Christenson said the commission can still delve into the issue that she raised. “They don’t need me.” As to not showing up, she said, “I guess it was my civil disobedience.”

Read it all here.

So, this gal files and gets a hearing on a formal complaint where experts were drug from across the country, AND she sucks up taxpayer time and money on the hearing. But she skips attending as her “civil disobedience.”

And now she wants to be a PUC commissioner?  Hard pass on a goofball candidate.

And if the State GOP Convention disagrees? Well, it was nice being a party that used to know how to win elections.

Circling back to last afternoon’s announcement that State Rep. Phil Jensen will be challenging Watertown Mayor Reid Holien for representing South Dakota at the national level as the SDGOP National Committeeman, as Republicans, it should give us all pause as to what image we want to represent.

Because Phil Jensen might be the worst role model to represent South Dakota Republicans.

Let me count the ways…

During Vietnam, Phil was a draft-dodger:

“I was drafted,” Jensen said. “And I filed for conscientious objector and I was going through a process of looking for alternative service. And then Nixon cancelled the drafting power before I got established.”

Read that here.

He’s been a Member of the far-right Oath Keepers Militia

“In 2014 I was sitting at my desk in the Senate chambers and I had read some information about the Oath Keepers. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution and the South Dakota Constitution, and it seemed like a good group of guys to belong to.”

Read that here.

He brought a bill that would’ve made it justifiable homicide to actually kill a doctor who performed abortions.

Phil says that he believes to be OK for businesses to deny service on the basis of race or religion:

While the bill was killed, Jensen defended it to the Journal as legislation that would ensure businesses have the freedom to choose their clientele. He also said that businesses should also have the right to choose based on race and religion – whether that’s right or wrong, he said, can be fairly addressed by the free market, not the government.

Read that there.

Let’s not forget his skills in phrenology.

Speaking over the phone on the way to Pierre on Tuesday, Jensen recalled when one of his constituents told him he witnessed “dozens of South Americans” fleeing a white bus parked near downtown Rapid City.

“He knew they were South Americans,” Jensen said, “because they had different skull structures and skin tones from Mexicans.”

Read it here.

Did I miss any of the high points?

If the South Dakota Republican Party wants to portray to the rest of the nation that we are a bunch of backwater redneck crazy uncles who might be racists, then he might be a good selection.

I for one tend to disagree, and think we can do better.  Ried Holien has done a nice job, and will not bring the SDGOP National embarrassment.

I’m hearing an early report (nothing official yet) that Justin McNeal has failed in his petition signature collection once again, and did not get sufficient signatures to run, this time as an independent on the ballot.

2 different party campaigns attempted. 2 failures.

At this point, is he going to switch to Libertarian? He hasn’t done that one yet. Or maybe he can get with Terry LaFleur and revive the Constitution party?

You never know.

It sounds like convention chaos has already kicked off.

The word I am hearing is that infamous state legislator and awful person Phil Jensen will be challenging Watertown Mayor Reid Holien at the South Dakota Republican Party convention for the office of party national committeeman.

A Rapid City woman, Amber Christianson, has supposedly also made an announcement for Public Utilities Commission, challenging sitting PUC Commissioner Kristi Fiegen.

In case the conversations starting today get a bit contentious at the Republican convention, just a reminder that South Dakota Republicans have somehow managed to get along since 1889.

 

 

Maybe I’m the only one, but reading this account of how Minnehaha county Auditor Leah Anderson seemingly ambushed a precinct superintendent in conjunction with election conspiracy group head Jessica Pollema, it throws up some red flags as to how closely the two walk hand-in-hand on election issues:

“I just want to give you a heads up about something,” Anderson said in a voicemail to Mikkelsen, which has been obtained by the Argus Leader. “We’re going to be headed over there, and we need your precinct board to, um, work on an issue.”

And…

Pollema and Anderson were seen talking together to some degree: An Argus Leader reporter was speaking with Pollema while ballots were being counted, when Anderson interrupted to ask if the canvassing group leader knew whether some or all of the challenged ballots were tossed. Anderson later handed Pollema, a citizen, a stack of unknown documents, as the county auditor was wrapping up the ballot count for the night.

It’s unclear what those documents were and what Anderson’s next steps will be in the matter, as well as whaat role the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office, which oversees the election process statewide, may have down the line, if any.

Read the entire story here.