Category: Uncategorized

Saddling Up for the Black Hills Stock Show
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
January 30, 2026

The Black Hills Stock Show kicks off this weekend in Rapid City, and there’s no event that captures the spirit of South Dakota quite like it. Each year, the Stock Show brings people together for world-class rodeos, concerts, vendors, and fellowship. It’s a true celebration of our ag heritage and the hardworking folks who make our state great. I’ll be at the Stock Show this weekend and next, and look forward to visiting with folks from across South Dakota and the region.

I value the conversations I have with producers about their work to feed and fuel the world. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I’ve been focused on supporting our producers, especially through uncertain times. I’m excited to share with producers that nearly 80% of the Farm Bill was included in the Working Families Tax Cuts, reauthorizing critical programs that support producers across the country.

I’ve been consistently ranked among the most effective members in Congress on agricultural issues, and it’s due in large part to the face-to-face conversations I have with producers at events like the Stock Show.

President Trump recently reaffirmed his support for year-round E-15, and I’m leading the charge to get a deal for the president to sign. Allowing the nationwide sale of year-round E-15 helps our farmers and gives consumers a cheaper, cleaner choice at the pump.

I’ve also heard concerns about China buying American farmland which is why I’ve championed efforts in Congress to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from making these purchases. Trade continues to be a concern for many, and I’ve been working to ensure fair and robust market access for South Dakota exporters. My bill to reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission – the entity that ensures safe passage for American ag imports and exports – passed the House in December 2025.

I am proud to represent South Dakota’s producers in Washington. If you’re heading to the Black Hills Stock Show this weekend, be sure to say hello – I’d love to visit with you.

Johnson at the Stock Show in Rapid City

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Rounds Issues Statement Following Senate’s Passage of Third FY26 Appropriations Package
Rounds secured $145.7 million in funding for projects in South Dakota

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued a statement following the Senate’s passage of a package of five appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

The legislation included appropriations bills for Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS); Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (T-HUD); Financial Services and General Government (FSGG); and National Security, Department of State and Related Programs. This legislation also includes a continuing resolution for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations through February 13.

“The appropriations process is one way we work to deliver real results for South Dakota. After years of continuing resolutions that reflect a Biden budget under Democrat leadership, we’ve now passed 11 of the 12 appropriations bills that fund 96% of government programs with President Trump’s priorities,” said Rounds. “This batch of appropriations bills includes several million dollars for projects in South Dakota that aim to improve in our rural health care facilities, expand our regional airports and invest in affordable housing. The bill also provides partial funding for the construction of an elementary school in Box Elder to support the influx of families from the bed down of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to pass the Homeland Security appropriations bill. DHS houses a number of agencies that are critical for operations in our nation, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In addition, the men and women of Customs and Border Protection and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement continue to carry out the hard work of enforcing our immigration laws in this nation. I urge my colleagues to come to an agreement as soon as possible to prevent a lapse in funding for DHS operations.”

Rounds has served on the Senate Committee on Appropriations since January 2025. He serves on six subcommittees, including LHHS. Read a list of Rounds’ Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) wins in the appropriations bills below totaling over $147 million for South Dakota. While the Defense Appropriations Act does not allow CDS, the legislation includes $88.5 million for South Dakota equities secured by Rounds.

Defense:

• Includes $88.5 million for South Dakota defense companies and universities working with the Department of Defense. This work will be done in South Dakota for programs to build and develop:
  • Product improvement programs for weapons and munitions
  • Cold regions advanced materials and manufacturing
  • Advanced materials and manufacturing for hypersonic weapons
  • Enhancing high-altitude surveillance and communications capabilities
  • Additive manufacturing rapid maintenance capabilities
  • Critical hybrid advanced materials processing
  • Air Force Global Strike additive manufacturing rapid maintenance facilities
  • Upgrades for the Army’s M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzers
  • Cold spray multi-effect munitions
  • Refurbishment of the Mk41 vertical launching system lines for the Aegis Combat System
  • APEX Accelerators to assist South Dakota small businesses working with the Department
  • Support for South Dakota Civil Air Patrol
  • STARBASE: STEM education funding for South Dakotan children
  • Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) to help fund universities doing research for the DOD outside of traditional large-market research hubs

LHHS:

• Includes seven of Rounds’ CDS requests, totaling $20.21 million:
  • $10,175,000 for cancer care equipment for Avera Health
  • $2,953,000 for the South Dakota State University College of Nursing to expand nursing education in Rapid City and Sioux Falls
  • $2,551,000 for hospital expansion and renovation at Bennett County Hospital & Nursing Home
  • $2 million for Early Childhood Enrichment Collaborative at the Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Plains
  • $1,099,000 to replace and modernize the boiler and pump upgrade at the Coteau des Prairies Hospital in Sisseton
  • $750,000 for artificial intelligence integration at South Dakota State University
  • $683,000 to replace and modernize the chiller system at the Coteau des Prairies Hospital in Sisseton
• Increases discretionary funding for the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative
• Supports National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Library of Medicine
• Supports Impact Aid, Head Start and Special Olympics Health

T-HUD:

• Includes seven of Rounds’ CDS requests, totaling $124.8 million:
  • $42 million for a new elementary school in the Douglas School District to support the bed-down of the B-21 bomber
  • $30 million for expansions at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport
  • $25 million for reconstruction of the Platte/Winner bridge on SD Highway 44
  • $20 million to upgrade security, ticketing and baggage at the Rapid City Regional Airport
  • $4 million for Box Elder Regional Transportation Improvement Project Planning and Design
  • $3 million for the Crow Creek Housing Authority Development to construct ten new affordable housing units
  • $840,000 for the Magdalene Dakota rehab facility for women exiting the women’s prison in Pierre
• Includes $22.2 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – including support for FAA efforts to hire 2500 more air traffic controllers.
• Supports Native American Housing programs at HUD

FSGG:

• Includes one of Rounds’ CDS requests:
  • $750,000 for a sallyport at the Pierre Federal Building
• Includes $324,000,000 for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, including $28 million for native initiatives.

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The Pro-Life Movement Marches Forward
By Sen. John Thune

Every January, tens of thousands of Americans come to Washington, D.C., to participate in the March for Life. They come from every background and every corner of our country to testify to the truth that every human being – no matter how small or vulnerable – has infinite value, is created in the image and likeness of God, and is endowed with the right to life.

The March for Life is an occasion for hope and a powerful reminder that babies in the womb have many defenders. Of course, the march is just one small facet – one day – of the pro-life movement’s extensive work providing help and hope to moms in need. As an example, in 2024, pregnancy resource centers provided $452 million in medical care and support for moms and babies. And we can’t begin to quantify the value of pro-life Americans who take steps big and small every day to protect life and support moms.

We also have a role to play in Congress, and I am proud that last year we passed the first pro-life law in decades. Thanks to Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts legislation, this year some of the nation’s largest abortion providers – including Planned Parenthood – are prohibited from receiving federal Medicaid funding. Organizations that have turned the killing of babies into a business are cut off, and it’s already having an impact.

Recently, Republicans brought up another pro-life bill: the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act. No student should have to feel she has to choose between keeping her baby and completing her education. So this bill would help ensure that pregnant college students are aware of the support available to them in their local communities and on their campuses both while they are pregnant and after giving birth. Sadly, even this bill to support moms and babies was too much for pro-abortion Democrats who blocked the bill.

For many years, pro-life Americans have persevered through an uphill battle. Our strength – our hope – is that we have the truth on our side. We know the science, we have ultrasounds and sonograms, we can see a baby in the womb waving her hands and sucking her thumb. At the core of our being, every one of us knows that an unborn baby is a human being, and every human being deserves to be protected. Abortion requires us to suppress our natural instincts and ignore our eyes. But sooner or later, the truth will win, and life will prevail.

I’m proud to be a defender of life, and I will continue working to protect the unborn, support moms and babies, and create a culture of life in our country. I’m grateful to the South Dakotans who, over the years, have joined the March for Life and who have been both witnesses and instruments in defense of the dignity of the unborn. We have the truth on our side, and I have every confidence that this truth will march on.

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HB 1103: Higher Property Taxes, Worse Water Protection
by Garth Wadsworth, Public Policy Director, Elevate Rapid City

When Rep. Scott Odenbach introduces legislation to restrict water rights, he doesn’t mention the impact on your property tax bill. But make no mistake—HB 1103 will have a direct and lasting impact on housing affordability that will drive up property taxes for current Black Hills residents, while doing nothing to protect water sources.

Here’s how it works: By artificially constraining water supply, you restrict housing construction. Less housing supply = increasing home assessments. Higher assessments = higher property taxes for everyone.

Last year, Rep. Odenbach sponsored legislation to investigate Black Hills development. His intention was to restrict all development.  Fortunately, this effort was defeated.  HB 1103 is another attempt for restricting all development: eliminate an obscure geologic exemption that gives the Black Hills some flexibility when accessing deep aquifers. We can’t build houses without water permits.

This is about pulling up the ladder. Odenbach has his property. He’s established. Now he wants to shut the door on everyone else trying to build a life in the Black Hills. But here’s the problem: this is a free country. We can’t stop people from moving to South Dakota. They’re coming whether Odenbach likes it or not.

So what happens when people keep arriving but we’ve strangled the ability to build housing? Either they bid up prices on existing homes (inflating your property taxes), or they resort to scattered development on individual exempt wells—exactly the outcome that’s worst for aquifer protection, water quality, and community planning.

HB 1103 does the opposite of what it claims. The bill says it protects water, but it will actually increase contamination risks. By making it more expensive and difficult to for regulated water systems to get permits, we push development toward smaller, dispersed clusters of private wells. These private wells are not subject to the same regulation and oversight. Water distribution systems serving 15 or more households must go through rigorous permitting and monitoring. Individual private wells don’t. By pricing regulated systems out of the market, HB 1103 pushes new development toward these unregulated wells—which is exactly the worst outcome for protecting our aquifers.

Current Black Hills residents should be furious. This isn’t about responsible water management—DANR already handles that effectively. This is about one legislator’s anti-growth agenda, not environmental protection; the end result will cost us all in higher property taxes and greater risk to ground water.

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As Elevate Rapid City’s Senior Public Policy Director, Garth Wadsworth works with community stakeholders to plan for strategic growth and quality of life in the region.

South Dakota’s Drunk Driving Crisis: Why We Need the Two-Hour Presumption Now
by Dan Nelson, Brookings County State’s Attorney

Most people assume that if you have a .08 blood alcohol sample in a DUI case, you will be found guilty. Unfortunately, this is not true in South Dakota where drunk driving remains a serious public safety issue. FBI data shows South Dakota is among the nation’s worst states for drunk driving, with more than 30,000 DUI arrests from January 2021 through December 2025 – giving it the highest per-capita rate in the United States. How did we get here and what should we do about it? We can remain passive and hope the problem improves on its own, or the legislature can take proactive steps to reverse this ugly trend. I, along with the State’s Attorneys Association, Sheriffs Association, Police Chiefs Association, and Attorney Generals Office, think its time for meaningful change. Reversing the drunk driving trend and making South Dakota roads safer does not require more Highway Patrol Troopers or Sheriff Deputies. The solution is to enact a law that allows common sense DUI enforcement. In this article, I explore South Dakota’s current law, explain why it falls short, and propose a more effective approach that is currently used by numerous rural, Midwestern states.

South Dakota law provides for a presumption of intoxication at .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) and requires the State to prove the driver had a .08 or more blood alcohol content (BAC) level at the time of driving or being in physical control of a vehicle. If the State proves that .08 level at the time of driving, the jury can presume that someone is intoxicated. It is a straightforward process until you insert the realities of roadside enforcement. No BAC test is ever conducted while driving; therefore, thousands of drunk drivers escape accountability by exploiting a flawed process.

In rural states, many DUI arrests happen far from facilities where blood can be drawn. First, law enforcement conducts the initial roadside DUI investigation, and then must transport the arrested person to have their blood drawn, often traveling a significant distance.This time delay rewards the drunk driver by allowing him to reduce his BAC before a nurse can withdraw a blood sample. Roadside PBT (breath test) and field sobriety tests do not test for BAC; therefore, every alcohol DUI case relies on a blood sample taken well after the driving occurred. This raises the central question in every DUI case: how can you accurately measure the person’s BAC at the time of driving when the blood sample is collected so long after?

In South Dakota, chemists engage in retrograde extrapolation – a fancy word used to determine a BAC at the time of driving when the sample was collected well after the driving occurred. Chemists testify in every DUI trial that this extrapolation is not an exact science. In fact, it depends on a host of factors, many of which law enforcement cannot collect in most DUI investigations. Common factors that impact extrapolation include knowing when the person started and stopped drinking that night, how much alcohol they consumed, and whether they had anything to eat during that time. Most drivers make misleading statements or simply refuse to answer questions about these factors. Bottom line, most DUI cases lack the evidence needed for accurate BAC extrapolation. This forces chemists to speculate, leaving judges and juries to guess a driver’s BAC at the time of the offense. For this reason, thousands of DUIs are reduced to lesser charges, resulting in less accountability for drunk drivers. Accountability is foundational to deterrence, which is why a change in the law is necessary. It’s a broken process that demands reform.

To solve this problem, our bordering states have enacted a common sense solution. Those states acknowledged that a vast majority of DUI blood samples are collected within a two hour time frame – the same two hour time frame that chemists would use the uncertain and inexact extrapolation process to attempt to determine the driver’s BAC.

The states fixed this by extending the presumption of intoxication to within two hours of driving the vehicle. Simply stated, if a driver has a BAC of .08 or greater within two hours of driving, they are presumed to have been intoxicated while driving. By keeping the .08 BAC level, but expanding the presumption window to two hours, it removes the need to perform the extrapolation process. It is a simple and straightforward approach that eliminates the ambiguity present in most DUI investigations and results in less speculation by the jury and judges

The public policy of this rule is rooted in common sense. If you have a blood alcohol result of .08 or greater within two hours of driving, you should be presumed to be intoxicated.

The laws surrounding DUIs must be fair while acknowledging the realities of roadside enforcement. Public safety and law enforcement should not be compromised or rendered ineffective because of time delays caused by location of arrest or the inexact science of extrapolation. It is time for South Dakota to embrace a new approach to DUI enforcement. If you believe we should work to reverse the ugly trend of increasing DUIs on South Dakota roads, please help us by encouraging your legislator to vote yes on HB 1120.

I’ve been spending some time today re-arranging my wall of campaign ribbons to accommodate my recent acquisitions and alleviate some crowding..

Definitely not done, as my Harper’s Weekly centerfold of the Republican Primary candidates for 1860 is still on the floor, along with my other 1936 broadside from the SDGOP against Governors Berry and Bulow.

I was scanning eBay for items for my collection, just in case there was something that could fill that space off to the upper right of the photo – and I did find an ancient SD campaign piece that I hadn’t known to exist (more on that later) – but I also came across a more recent item I’d never seen before.  A Scyller Borglum for US Senate Challenge coin:

Photo credit to the listing – (If you want to buy it, you can find it here on eBay).

I’m not clear as to whether this was an actual campaign piece from Scyller’s campaign, or a vendor piece that someone made to try to capitalize on the race in South Dakota at the time.  But this might represent one of the only pieces of memorabilia in that contest, as I don’t recall any Dan Ahlers swag, either.  Which is interesting to me, as Senator Mike Rounds is up again, and is once again running against an underdog candidate in the primary, and we’ll see what happens in the general. Which means we may not be seeing any memorabilia from any US Senate race this year.

The challenge coin is currently listed at $99 on eBay, and without knowing it’s provenance, I’m taking a pass on adding it to my collection.

I did find a campaign item from 1899 that I’ve never seen before. I had to pay more than I wanted to, but a little less for it than what the seller is asking for the Scyller piece. It’s pretty unique. I’ll cross my fingers and see if it gets here with our terrible mail service, and show it off then.

In South Dakota, there are campaign finance limits set in state law which limit donors to a maximum $4000 donation from an individual.  But campaign finance can be less about rules, and more about how artfully those limits can be driven around. One mechanism is through a Federal PAC where limits are not so stringent.

Of course Dusty Johnson has a Federal Leadership PAC which he’s used as a member of Congress for several years. Rounds and Thune have one as well to help raise funds. Especially Majority Leader Thune, which he uses to help many Senate Races across the country.

In the race for Governor though, Governor Rhoden has set one up as well. Not because he wants to run for federal office, but because you don’t have to deal with those pesky state limits on what’s donated to campaigns when you’re in the Federal sphere:

Larry Rhoden Free American Fund by Pat Powers

Rhoden’s Free American Fund – as mentioned in an earlier post – sent the Rhoden for Governor campaign $85,500 this past year to help him with his gubernatorial efforts. Where did these funds come from? According to the PAC filing made recently..

• State Senator Arch Beal (Via Beal Distributing) donated $10,000 on 12/24/25.
• James Brown of Highlands Ranch, Colorado (nice place, I have a brother lives there), a partner with Charter Financial Resources was a $30,000 donor on 12/30.25
• On 12/8/25, T. Denny Sanford of Sioux Falls made a whopping $50,000 donation to the Free American Fund. Which may make T. Denny the largest single donor to the Rhoden Campaign.

Out of the $90,000 donated, $85,500 found it’s way to Rhoden for Governor, with the rest ($9890 total remaining the account) I’m assuming will remain with the party that holds the funds and for allowing his group to be used as a pass through.

Watch for the “Free American Fund” to continue to be a factor in the Governor’s campaign, and where the very, very big donors go to avoid those things like state campaign finance limits.

As part of looking at what’s going on while we all wait to see how many people haven’t donated to Toby Doeden, I was checking Political Action Committee reports, and had almost forgotten about the political action committee that the Hansen Campaign started the season with, the People First PAC.

I should have checked this report first, as it foreshadowed what we found on Hansen’s campaign committee report. They raised a bit, spent most all of it, and there’s not much left.

HansenPAC Report by Pat Powers

In the PAC attached to the Hansen campaign, the group reported actually raising $123,183.05. But then they spent the bejeezus out of it with $110,402 in expenses, including $25k which ended up in the Hansen for Governor campaign’s totals.

Now, there’s only $12,780.35 left.

Since the campaign camper is kind of expensive to pull, and neither of Hansen’s campaign accounts has much money, are they going to have to downsize?

Just asking.

I think we know who will be dropping out of the race for Governor first.

State Representative Jon Hansen just posted a report that might be encouraging when you’re a candidate for the State Legislature, but whoof.

This tells you where his campaign is at:

Jon Hansen 2025 EOY Report by Pat Powers

Hansen was able to pull in $188,771 from his allies and the Pizza Ranch circuit.. but check out this burn rate – He’s spent $134,878.01 already. He should have skipped wrapping the camper, because all he has to go into 2026 with is $53,893.97. Who on earth thinks this is sustainable? Jim Eschenbaum?

Just think about it – he’s walking into the next several months with 1/10th of what Governor Rhoden is reporting. One-tenth.

This isn’t a political campaign. This is a campaign headed to the trauma unit, because it’s bleeding out.

Maybe he has cash coming from a dark money PAC or something? But from the looks of it, this poor showing would send most people home.

Governor Larry Rhoden filed his campaign finance report for 2025 this afternoon, showing his cards on the campaign effort he’s been able to run to date in his pursuit to keep the job he’s doing now.  It’s an interesting mix of funding, and well worth the time to go through the report:

Larry Rhoden 2025 EOY Report by Pat Powers

The Governor reports having 1/2 a million in his Gubernatorial campaign account; showing $491,285.87 in income against $70,593.75 in expenses, leaving him an ending balance of $511,815.93. But something caught my eye on this report. It is showing income from Rhoden’s other committees transferred in to increase what his main committee has in it’s account.

In this report, they pulled in and used the $142,500 that the Strong, Safe & Free PAC raised,

AND $85,500 that his super PAC Raised..

..totalling $229,000.

so the main Rhoden for Governor committee actually only raised $282,815.93, and these separate arms of the campaign raised the rest.

Nothing shabby, but to get the true picture of what the Governor has to invest in campaign 2026, we need to review those other reports and see if they have any remaining funds.

In comparison to Safe, Strong & Free, Congressman Dusty’s PAC has $1 million on hand. And to Rhoden’s Gubernatorial report, Dusty for Governor has 1 million on hand (with some moved from Congressional campaign), Plus everything in his federal accounts, which with his state fundraising has him running at about $8 million all in, with a long runway to raise more.

Governor Rhoden has a reasonable start with this seed money, but he’s going to have to invest this to build his kitty much further.