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Bruce Whalen is hitting selected mailboxes, and blasting an 8 second message on the billboard by Hardees in Brookings as he makes a last gasp to gain attention this weekend.

First, the Bruce postcard, where he points out his commitment to Glorify God in the US Senate. Right after he talks about delousing. Yeah, that’s part of his speech too.

And I was running to the edge of town last night, and almost drove off the road when I saw this pop up in the rotation on one of the two digital billboards in town, over by Hardees. Had to sit there a while when I pulled over to get a photo… and then it was back lost in rotation.

Seriously, I’ve got to invest in one of these billboards.  They seem to be a license to print money for the amount of time that people get.

That ad is better than the postcard which tries to do too much. And is also kind of weird.

Glad I took a picture. Because we’re not going to see Bruce much after a week from Tuesday.

Wow. Even with a completely cleared field and no primary, Democrat candidate for the US Senate Brian Bengs is doing badly. Really, really badly.

Brian Bengs Pre Primary by Pat Powers on Scribd

In the latest FEC report, Bengs reported $24,075.40 in donations. Against which, he spent $41,124. He does report $45,312 cash on hand, but that’s after a $20,000 loan to his campaign. I don’t think this is going in the right direction.

What’s sucking his cash down faster than it can come in? Bengs reports having several employees, three of which are in another state (Norfolk, VA, Virginia Beach, VA, and Grapevine TX), and one in Sioux Falls. Which is probably par for the course for Democrats in the state.

But, wow. Nevermind US Senate. He might just elect himself into the poorhouse at this rate.

This postcard is making the rounds on Facebook this morning from Liz May’s Conservative Principles PAC:

Where Liz May is attacking other Republicans as being RINOs. Well, that’s interesting. And it makes me wonder where her proof is.

I mean.. considering Liz May’s own track record of donating to Hillary Clinton more than once during the 2008 election cycle:

I mean, how many times do you have to support Hillary to be a true Republican in her book?

Well, no one ever accused the Convention of States group of being smart. In a postcard that hit Brookings yesterday, they demonstrated that they need some remedial geography lessons.

On the front side, they have a picture of the D7 Senate candidate nobody has ever heard of, Julie Erickson, superimposed in front of a photo of downtown Brookings.

But then you flip it over, and you get something that’s… not very Brookings.

They seem to have used Watertown, SD attraction (and Senator Lee Schoenbeck’s law office location), the Terry Redlin Center as the backdrop to show ‘how Brookings’ they are. Which, of course, they’ve failed miserably at, giving one the impression that they know their South Dakota politics as well as they know their South Dakota geography.

Moving on..

2022 Pre-Primary Bruce Whalen FEC by Pat Powers on Scribd

Not that this should come as a shock, but Bruce Whalen’s last FEC report before he loses the race is a bit anemic.

$22,457 raised. $17,128 spent. $31,627 cash on hand.

I suspect John Thune raised more in bank interest in that period than Bruce was able to muster. This is what the “Primary John Thune” group was able to scrape together for all their bluster? Even PJT group founder and this election’s conservative money baron Karla Lems only gave him $250, which shows you how much confidence they had (or didn’t have) in him.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has a new campaign commercial out, declaring that the best for South Dakota is yet to come, and “This is our moment:”

Here’s Taffy Howard’s last hurrah, before Dusty Johnson handily defeats her in the primary.

TaffyHoward_PreprimaryFEC by Pat Powers on Scribd

Howard raised an ok $78,260.00. Not great, but not embarrassingly low, as some of her totals have been. But, it’s probably too little, too late.   Against this, she spent $100,671.91, leaving her $132,303.06 for possibly a mailing, and a little tv. Maybe.

But ultimately, it’s over, as she has been outmatched and outclassed for the entire campaign. She might be running a race that would work for constitutional office, but not Congress.

Dusty Johnson is coming into the homestretch, with his final major FEC filing before the primary election:

DustyJohnson_PreprimaryFEC by Pat Powers on Scribd

In his main campaign account, Dusty raised $205.466.69, against which he spent $36,468.54, leaving him with $2,528,130.63 to spend in the last 2 weeks of the campaign.

Gubernatorial aspirant Steve Haugaard is apparently complaining to the media that Governor Kristi Noem won’t engage him, despite the fact he’s been kind of a jerk to her at times.  According to KELOland:

She has refused so far to engage her Republican primary opponent, former House Speaker Steve Haugaard, on any kind of public platform, aside from appearing at private county Republican dinners.

That’s left Haugaard frustrated with time running short before the June 7 primary. A recent poll of self-identified Republicans by South Dakota State University faculty showed Noem leading Haugaard 61-17%.

Read that here.

I think that last point might be the big indicator. Noem leading Haugaard 61-17%.

The point might be made..

Was that the wind, or the sound of Steve Haugaard complaining about Noem ignoring him?