Category: Uncategorized

Rumors getting stronger that Taneeza Islam might be challenging Paul TenHaken for Sioux Falls Mayor

@SoDakCampaigns

This evening, “Matt Paulson’s Insiders” text updated offered this interesting tidbit about next years’ Sioux Falls Mayoral contest:

Insider Text: Hearing rumors of a liberal challenger in the mayoral race from multiple sources. Word is that a private Facebook event is going out for a campaign announcement on Tuesday afternoon. If true, the candidate will be a huge contrast to Mayor TenHaken.

After a couple hours of reaching out to Sioux Falls contacts, I managed to track this down from Facebook:

The event is sponsored by Taneeza Islam, former Sioux Falls City Councilman Andy Howes, and Susan Kroger, who along with Islam is part of the women’s only LEAD South Dakota group.

What I’m hearing is that sources are saying Islam will supposedly be challenging TenHaken in next years’ mayoral contest with the announcement coming on Tuesday.

Taneeza Islam is the executive director for the “South Dakota Voices for Justice/South Dakota Voices for Peace” group, which notes itself in press releases as “diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist” and their “mission is to build power and enable healing in refugee, immigrant and Muslim communities by amplifying their voices and working in solidarity with all who dismantle bigotry and racism.”

Their website notes that she formed the group after “two bigoted resolutions and one bigoted bill were introduced during South Dakota’s legislative session” and she “was contacted by lobbyist friends in the state capitol about these bigoted pieces of legislation.” According to one bio, Islam was former “Civil Rights Director for the Council on American Islamic Relations – MN Chapter.”

We’ll know for sure after Tuesday.

Minority Report for last weeks’ State Senate Legislative Redistricting vote

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After last week’s on 9/30) 6-1 vote of the State Senate Legislative Redistricting Committee, the lone vote against the proposals that were passed, State Senator Jim Bolin, asked if I’d post the map proposal he was in favor of, the legislative reapportionment proposal labeled as “Falcon,” from the Senate Redistricting document page, along with the description for his preferred mapping scheme. 

Falcon Legislative Redistricting Map by Pat Powers on Scribd

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE 2021 REDISTRICTING MAP LABELED “FALCON”

(This is not a legal description. It is a general outline of each legislative district.)

  • District #1.  All of Day, Marshall, and Roberts counties plus most of rural Brown County including but not limited to the towns of Groton, Hecla, and Frederick.  It does not include any part of the city of Aberdeen or the town of Warner.
  • District #2.  This district is within the city limits of Sioux Falls.  Precincts 3–5, 3-6, 3–9, 3– 12, 4–5, 5–18 and 5–20.
  • District #3.  This district is within the city limits of Aberdeen.  It includes the city of Aberdeen except for two precincts on the southwest edge of the city.
  • District #4. All of Clark, Deuel, Grant, and Hamlin counties plus portions of rural Coddington county including but not limited to the areas around Henry and Florence.
  • District #5. The city of Watertown plus areas of rural Coddington county on the east side of the county.
  • District #6. This district is entirely within the boundaries of Lincoln County. The cities of Harrisburg, Lennox, and Tea, plus the townships of Delapre, Grant, Lavalley, Perry and Springdale, plus the Sioux Falls precincts of 1-14 and 1-16.
  • District #7. The city of Brookings plus the townships of Brookings and Medary.
  • District #8. The counties of Lake and Moody, plus all areas of Brookings County not included in district # 7.
  • District #9. The voting precincts in Minnehaha County consisting of VP–6, VP–7, VP–8, VP–9, VP–13, VP–16, VP-17 and the precincts in Sioux Falls, 3–14 and 3–17.
  • District #10. This district is within the city limits of Sioux Falls.  Precincts 4-4, 4–6, 4–7, 4–8, 4–9, 4–10, 4–11, 4–12.
  • District #11. This district is within the city limits of Sioux Falls.  Precincts 1–6, 1–9, 1–10, 1–17, 3–10, 3–11, 3–13, 3–15, and 3–16.
  • District #12. This district is within the city limits of Sioux Falls.  Precincts 1–3, 1–4, 1–5, 1–11, 1–12, 1–13, 1–15, 1–18, 5–10, 5–17, 5–19, and 5–21.
  • District #13.This district is within the city limits of Sioux Falls.  Precincts 2–1, 2–10, 2–11, 2–12, 2–13, 2–15, 2–18, 5–11, 5–12, and 5–13,
  • District #14.This district is within the city limits of Sioux Falls.  Precincts 2–2, 2–3, 2–6, 2–7, 2–8, 2-9, 2–14, and 4–13.
  • District #15.This district is within the city limits of Sioux Falls.  Precincts 4–1, 4–2, 4–3, 4–14, 5–1, 5–2, 5–3, 5–4, 5–6, 5–7, 5–8, 5–9, and 5–14.
  • District #16. All of Union County and the portions of Lincoln County not included in Districts #6, 12, and 13.
  • District #17.All of Clay and Turner counties plus the voting precinct that is in the farthest southeastern portion of Hutchinson County.  (The Menno area.)
  • District #18. All of Yankton County plus the cities of Tabor and Tyndall and the voting precincts that surrounds those two towns.
  • District #19.Hansen, Kingsbury, McCook, Miner, Sanborn, and the portions of Hutchinson County not included in District #17.  (All of Hutchinson except Menno and the voting area surrounding the town.)
  • District #20.Aurora, Davison, and Jerauld counties.
  • District #21.Charles Mix, Douglas, and Gregory counties plus the area of Bon Homme County not included in District #18 and all of Tripp County except the three voting precincts that border the White River and are at the northern border of the county.
  • District #22. Beadle and Spink counties.
  • District #23.Campbell, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, McPherson, and Walworth counties plus the northern portion of Hyde County not to be included in #26 and the portions of Brown County and Aberdeen not included in Districts #1 and #3.
  • District #24. Potter, Stanley, and Sully counties, plus all of Hughes County with the exception the precinct at the far southeastern portion of the county that encompasses the area generally known as “The Pocket.”
  • District #25. The voting precincts in Minnehaha County of VP–01, VP–02, VP–03, VP–04, VP–05, VP–10, VP–11, VP-12, VP–15, VP–21.
  • District #26.Brule, Buffalo, Jones, Lyman, Mellette, and Todd counties plus the voting precinct in Hughes County that is known as the “Pocket”, the southernmost voting precinct in Hyde County that encompasses Stephan, and the three voting precincts in Tripp County in the northern portion of the county that are not included in District #21.
  • District #27.Bennett, Haakon, Jackson, and Oglala Lakota counties plus the eastern portion of Pennington County including but not limited to Wall, Scenic, Wasta, Quinn, New Underwood and the rural areas near these communities.
  • District #28. Butte, Corson, Dewey, Harding, Perkins, and Ziebach counties.
  • District #29. All of Meade County not included in the Rapid City conurbation district.
  • District #30. Custer and Fall River counties plus portions of rural Pennington County including but not limited to Hill City, Deerfield, Keystone, and Rochford, and Rockerville and the rural areas near these communities.
  • District #31. Lawrence County

Governor Kristi Noem part of press conference on border crisis at Texas border on Wednesday

@SoDakCampaigns

Governor Abbott, 10 State Governors To Hold Press Conference On Border Crisis In Mission

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott and 10 state governors will hold a press conference on the border crisis on Wednesday, October 6 in Mission, Texas. The Governor will also be joined by Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw, Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd, and Texas Military Department Brigadier General Monie R. Ulis, and National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) President Brandon Judd.

MEDIA RSVP IS REQUIRED.

WHO: Governor Greg Abbott

          Arizona Governor Doug Ducey

          Georgia Governor Brian Kemp

          Idaho Governor Brad Little

          Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds

          Montana Governor Greg Gianforte

          Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts

          Ohio Governor Mike DeWine

          Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt

          South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem

          Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon

          DPS Director Steve McCraw

          TDEM Chief Nim Kidd

          General Monie R. Ulis

          NBPC President Brandon Judd

WHAT: Press conference
WHEN: Wednesday, October 6 at 12:00 PM
            Media check-in and setup begins at 11:15 AM

Senate hopeful Mark Mowry files US Senate Financial Disclosure, discloses unemployment benefits and small-carpentry jobs as employment.

@SoDakCampaigns

US Senate hopeful Mark Mowry filed his US Senate financial disclosure this weekend. And despite the candidate never mentioning it on his website or campaign materials, we finally find out what he does for a living:

EFD_ Annual Report for 2021-MowryMarkS by Pat Powers on Scribd

According to the disclosure, there was $3559.00 the candidate made from being on unemployment, as well as some work as a substitute teacher in Belle Fourche & Spearfish.

But, it looks like he finally did get a regular job, and the bulk of his income is from “Williams Properties” in Spearfish, where from May 2020 to present, during the reporting period he was paid $19,698.00 by Williams Properties for “Carpentry-type small jobs.”

Stay tuned for more.

US Senator John Thune’s Weekly Column: News You Can Use

@SoDakCampaigns

News You Can Use
By Sen. John Thune

Local newspapers – radio and T.V. stations too – are often the go-to source for everything from Friday’s football scores to keeping up with the city council. These entities are fundamental to our communities, and they have the best pulse on the news that South Dakotans care about the most. National Newspaper Week is a great opportunity to recognize all of the dedicated people who work hard to deliver trusted news and information to communities throughout South Dakota.

Growing up, the Murdo Coyote and the Mitchell Daily Republic were circulated in my hometown. Reading the daily and weekly newspapers was one of the primary ways my family and others in the neighborhood learned about what was happening in our small town. We didn’t – and obviously couldn’t – rely on smartphones or social media. We trusted what we read from fellow South Dakotans – something I still rely on today, both to get the news and to help me do my job in Washington as effectively as possible.

When I’m on the road visiting towns across the state, I know I can pick up the local paper at the gas station, see what’s going on in the community, and trust what I read. Those front pages live on as time capsules of each community’s history. It’s also neat to see how much of a family enterprise some of these local newspapers are these days.

For many readers, picking up the local paper is more than what the city council voted on the night before. It’s about the daily tick-tock of the community. To this day, I love reading the names of high school athletes setting state records and winning state championships.

When I was a kid, having your name printed in the local paper felt like celebrity status. Speaking from experience, young athletes don’t forget the feeling of knowing their accomplishments are being shared with the entire community or stuck to the kitchen refrigerator with a magnet by a proud parent.

This past year, we also learned about the power of our local newspapers when they provided critical information to folks about various health and safety measures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They, too, were dealing with the realities of the pandemic, including the economic struggle other small businesses across the state faced. In a time when families needed information, South Dakota newspapers were there to provide it.

No newspaper – big or small – is worth its salt without great reporters. Having worked with many of them throughout my time in public service, I can say South Dakota reporters are true professionals. They are out in their communities daily, telling the stories of what it means to be a South Dakotan. No one in a Washington or New York newsroom knows more about what’s important to or happening in South Dakota than those who call South Dakota home.

I am so thankful to our local papers and reporters for their continual commitment to seeing the news as a public service – not a commodity. News isn’t always an easy business, but South Dakotans thank and respect those who help deliver it.

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Congressman Dusty Johnson’s Weekly Column: Why an ‘Under 35’ Town Hall?

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Why an ‘Under 35’ Town Hall?
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
October 1, 2021

This past Wednesday, I hosted a telephone town hall with constituents 35 and under.

Now some of you may be thinking, Dusty, why would you host a town hall exclusive to younger folks?

I’m most effective at my job when I’m talking to my bosses, and my bosses are the voters. Knowing what’s important to younger people in South Dakota is just as crucial as knowing what our seniors care about.

According to a report by Tufts University, South Dakota’s youth voter turnout was the lowest in the Midwest and the lowest of the 40 states they had collected data from. I believe it is important to get younger folks engaged in politics, no matter their political affiliation. Politically active young people make for more informed citizens – the more individuals that actively participate in their civic duty will enrich our nation.

Over 3,400 constituents joined the call on Wednesday. Hundreds of South Dakotans got in the queue to ask a question, and within the hour I was able to take nearly 30 questions on topics ranging from border security and national debt to legalizing marijuana and student loans. We also discussed rising inflation, climate change, and mental health. I was excited to witness a high level of enthusiasm and engagement on a variety of issues.

When asked “what should the federal government tackle?” the top three responses were the border crisis, the job market, and health care.

These data points allow me to direct my attention to the issues South Dakotans care about most. I’ve supported various bills to combat the border crisis, including the Remain in Mexico policy. To bring down health care costs, I helped introduce the Lower Costs More Cures Act and to incentivize work, I introduced the Get Americans Back to Work Act. I will continue to prioritize these issues while working in Congress.

Over the last few years, I have hosted more than 50 town halls—in person, drive-thru, and via telephone. Tele-town halls have allowed me to continue engaging with South Dakotans while I’m in D.C. and especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

I truly enjoyed hearing from South Dakotas up and coming leaders on Wednesday and I look forward to more town halls in the future.

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