South Dakota Democrats had a heavier burn rate on the federal side this month, but unlike South Dakota Republicans, they raised more than zero, according to the latest FEC report from the South Dakota Democrat Party:
SDDP reports $35,844.96 raised, against $46,476.97 spent. But when you have a pile of cash in the bank, it’s NBD. And they were left with $53,968.47 to take them into the new year.
It’s less that they’re running with $20k more than the GOP in the federal account – and more that they’re running with 50 PAGES OF REGULAR DONORS in their report – something the Jim Eschenbaum’s version of the SDGOP sorely lacks as we end the “off year.”
President Trump Signs Johnson’s Wounded Knee Memorial Bill into Law
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), was signed into law by President Trump.
“It has been almost 135 years to the day of the tragedy that unfolded at Wounded Knee and today, the president signed my bill into law to preserve the land where hundreds of lives were lost,” said Johnson. “I am grateful the Oglala and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes will be able to hold this land in perpetuity as a way to honor and memorialize the lost.”
“As we approach the 135th anniversary of the Wounded Knee Massacre, we are pleased that the United States has recognized the legacy and sacrifice of our ancestors and that it has finally pledged federal protection for our hallowed land at the massacre site,” said Frank Star Comes Out, President, Oglala Sioux Tribe. “This bill is an important step in the healing process for our Lakota people.”
“The President signed the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act,” said Ryman LeBeau, Chairman, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. “The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and our Wounded Knee Survivor Association, acting in consultation with our Oglala Sioux relatives, believed that it was very important that our Wounded Knee Massacre Sacred Site is in the name of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux Tribe, subject to the protections of our 1868 Treaty. The House, Senate and the President have agreed, so that we may remember and honor our relatives we lost at Wounded Knee, now and in future generations. The Act and the Report also acknowledge the history of the Wounded Knee Massacre and America’s Apology. On behalf of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, we say Wopila, with special thanks to Representative Johnson, Senator Rounds and Senator Thune. This is a good day for our Lakota oyáté (people)!”
After months of working in coordination with the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Johnson introduced the legislation last Congress which passed the House unanimously but was not voted on by the U.S. Senate. Johnson reintroduced the bill in January 2025 and it passed the House later that month. The Senate passed Johnson’s legislation in December.
The Senate companion bill is led by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.).
Wounded Knee Massacre Background:
In the late 1880s, a movement called the Ghost Dance swept across the nation. Indians believed that this dance would give stolen land back to the Indians, bringing about a renewal of Native society. Indians would join together, wearing shirts they believed would protect them from bullets, to dance for this renewal, all at the protest of the federal government.
On December 29, 1890, a group of Lakota Indians led by Chief Spotted Elk had made camp near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. There, U.S. Army 7th Calvary troops were sent to disarm the Lakota. A struggle occurred between the U.S. Army and some of Chief Spotted Elk’s band – a majority of which consisted of women and children. A shot rang out, and the U.S. Army opened fire on the largely unarmed group, massacring an estimated up to 350-375 Lakota Indians. Twenty-five U.S. soldiers also died.
Rapid City, SD – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced his plans to participate in statewide debates during the 2026 gubernatorial primary. Governor Rhoden accepted two statewide debates that have been announced and laid out a recommendation for one additional gubernatorial and a lieutenant gubernatorial debate.
“This election is not about who I’m running against, but what I’m running for: to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “I realize that debates are a crucial tool for South Dakotans to contrast the candidates’ records and their ideas for the state’s future. Being Governor is a full-time job, and the debates that are scheduled should have a statewide media broadcast to reach the most South Dakotans possible.”
Governor Rhoden accepted the two debates that have already been announced:
An April 13 debate co-hosted by South Dakota Public Broadcasting and South Dakota News Watch; and
An April 27 debate co-hosted by the Dakota Scout and Forum News, which includes print and TV outlets on both sides of the state.
“I would welcome a third gubernatorial debate, and the media outlets should also offer a lieutenant gubernatorial debate, since that position is vitally important for our state’s future, as well,” continued Governor Rhoden.
Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen also invited the other campaigns to put forward their lieutenant governor selections for a lieutenant gubernatorial debate.
“Governor Rhoden is built for this moment. He is proof that who you choose as your running mate matters, given that he became our 34th Governor after Secretary Noem’s confirmation,” said Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen. “I would enjoy the opportunity to discuss our state’s future with the lieutenant governor challengers.”
The primary election is June 2, 2026. To learn more about the Rhoden for Governor campaign, visit GovernorLarryRhoden.com.
The Christmas season is here, and with it come the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of yuletide. To this day, the smell of lutefisk and lefse still brings me back to Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house. While the Thune family has since replaced my grandmother’s Norwegian fare with clam chowder on Christmas Eve, the warm feeling of gathering with family to celebrate the birth of our Savior is still the same as it was all those years ago.
When I was growing up in Murdo, Christmas was always a special time of year. We were a caroling family in a caroling church, and we would go to our neighbors’ houses to sing and spread Christmas cheer. And on Christmas Eve, we would all pile into the car to go to Grandma’s before we continued on to the Christmas Eve service in Okaton.
This time of year, we could usually count on there being snow on the ground, and we were ever eager to sled down Jackson Avenue. Hopefully, a new and faster sled would appear under the tree, too. These days, I’m not-so-eager for snow since it means multiple rounds of snow-shoveling. I’d rather be sledding. Or doing anything else, for that matter.
Our grandchildren bring us plenty of joy on Christmas. This year, Kimberley and I welcomed our sixth grandchild to the family, and we’re looking forward to celebrating his first Christmas. For us, Christmas Eve is still the main event, with the Christmas Eve service and gathering with family. We read the Christmas story to the kids, and we gather around the tree for presents.
In the entire year, there may be nothing I cherish more than opening the Bible and having the grandkids piling on to hear the story of God’s greatest gift to humanity: His Son. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people,” the angel tells the shepherds. This story, however familiar, never grows tired. This good news is never old news. It touches the heart, and it reminds us of what truly matters.
From my family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Protecting American Trade By Rep. Dusty Johnson December 19, 2025
BIG Update
Ocean shipping is the backbone of international trade, allowing American products to be sold in other countries while giving American businesses and consumers access to goods we don’t make. Even in America’s heartland, ocean shipping is an integral part of our economy.
My bill to reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) passed the House unanimously this week. My bill will ensure the FMC can continue doing its job to protect American businesses, producers, and consumers from China’s abuse of America’s ocean shipping laws.
This legislation establishes a formal process to report complaints against shipping exchanges and requires the FMC to report on anticompetitive business practices. It also eliminates redundancies in FMC’s reporting requirements.
Click here or the image above for Johnson’s remarks
BIG Idea
It’s clear the health care system in America is broken. The Affordable Care Act made health care unaffordable for the American family with many paying more for their health insurance than they pay for their mortgage or rent. The answer to this crisis is not to write more checks to big insurance companies.
I voted for the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act which would lower premium costs by 11%. This plan also brings transparency to pharmacy benefit managers and removes hidden costs for prescription drugs.
This plan also allows small business owners and independent workers to form associate health plans and provides more choices for employees to customize their health care plans.
BIG News
The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act passed the House this week and now heads to the president’s desk. This bill allows schools to serve whole and 2% milk during lunch in addition to reduced fat options.
It’s important that our kids have healthy options in the lunchroom. Whole milk is filled with essential nutrients that help kids succeed in school. I drink milk every day for lunch and am excited that our kids will now have the same option.
The Spirit of Christmas By: Gov. Larry Rhoden December 19, 2025
Growing up on our family ranch near Union Center, the holiday season was always a time of simple joys. The ornaments might not have been the fanciest, but they were ours – and they reflected the true meaning of Christmas. At the heart of it all was the story of Christ’s birth, a reminder of hope, humility, and sacrifice. That celebration and connection kept us grounded through the long winter ahead.
Similar celebrations are taking place in homes across South Dakota. And we also recognize the traditions of all who call South Dakota home. We recently lit a menorah in the Rotunda of the State Capitol alongside our Christmas trees. It was a great opportunity to honor our Jewish neighbors and the religious freedoms that allow all faiths to flourish in South Dakota.
South Dakota is a place where faith, family, and freedom aren’t just words – they’re the foundation of our way of life. We’ve worked hard to protect those values, ensuring that families can celebrate Christmas without the burdens of overreaching government or economic uncertainty. Our low taxes and balanced budget have kept more money in your pockets. This allows you to focus on what matters: gathering with loved ones, giving to those in need, and building brighter futures for our kids.
Take our economy, for instance. South Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation – our people are thriving. Whether you’re a rancher checking cattle in the crisp morning air or a small business owner in Sioux Falls preparing holiday shipments, our pro-growth policies have created opportunities that echo the generosity of the season.
Education is another area where we’re celebrating hope and opportunity. We want every child in South Dakota to have access to quality learning, whether in public schools, homeschooling, or innovative programs that prepare them for trades or higher education. We’re giving our children the gift of the tools they need to succeed. And let’s not forget public safety – our commitment to law enforcement means safer communities where families can enjoy the holidays without fear.
Amid these achievements, Christmas calls us to humility. The King of Kings humbled Himself and came to us as a baby, reminding us what true servant leadership looks like. In a world that often seems divided, South Dakota stands as a beacon of civility and common sense. We recognize that the season’s true gift is caring for one another, so we give that gift in abundance.
This Christmas, let’s embrace that South Dakota grit and heart of service – the kind that gets us through blizzards and builds strong communities. To our farmers, teachers, first responders, and families: thank you for making this state special. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas. May the peace of the season fill your homes, and may God bless South Dakota.
On Credit Scores, Governments Blunder, Taxpayers Wonder
by Pete Sepp
Pete Sepp is president of National Taxpayers Union
Taxpayers have a huge stake in ensuring that financial risks are properly and predictably measured for the government loan programs they have been forced to backstop. Credit scores are vital tools for taking those measurements, so the loan space has common reference points for creditworthiness.
But a recent evaluation from American Enterprise Institute (AEI) analysts shows that a years-long effort from the government to create “competition” out of thin air for the credit scoring market may have left taxpayers no better off—and perhaps even worse off.
AEI explored that proposition after a VantageScore White Paper claimed its VantageScore 4.0 model had a clear edge over FICO’s longstanding product by predicting “up to 49% more mortgage defaults leading into the COVID-19 pandemic period than Classic FICO.”
This would normally be great news for taxpayers, who are depending on the most accurate credit score environment possible to help avoid costly bailouts of bad loans going forward.
Unfortunately, AEI found that after adjusting for “methodological inconsistencies and selection bias,” VantageScore’s contentions may not be up to snuff:
Once these issues are corrected, the purported performance advantage of VantageScore 4.0 largely disappears. While VantageScore 4.0 has a marginal advantage over Classic FICO in capturing high risk loans within the bottom risk decile, the difference is relatively small. Across the full sample, Classic FICO performs as well as, and in some cases better than, VantageScore 4.0 on several key predictive measures.
But isn’t AEI going out on a limb in drawing its own conclusions? If so, others are sitting in the same tree with them. In late 2024, an Urban Institute study concluded that:
[b]oth credit scoring models effectively distinguish between high-risk and low-risk borrowers,” and even though “VantageScore 4.0 is marginally more effective at identifying high-risk borrowers from among those with the lowest credit scores . . . the differences are small.
The Milliman firm, which assisted with NTU’s policy paper on credit scoring in 2019, conducted its own side-by-side comparison last year and observed “there is information in using both credit scores in evaluating mortgage default risk,” specifically noting “the default rates are generally consistent between scores, but caution should be used when using Vantage directly in existing mortgage models.”
After the 2018 passage of legislation directing Fannie and Freddie’s watchdog, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to develop a process for evaluating credit score models, in 2022 FHFA finally approved two that the GSEs could use: VantageScore 4.0 and the newer FICO 10T. Incoming FHA Director Bill Pulte’s unexpected decision just three months ago to instead “allow” Fannie and Freddie-handled loans to use either VantageScore 4.0 or Classic FICO further roiled lending markets.
VantageScore (owned by three credit bureaus perched elsewhere in the loan ecosystem) is sure to fire back at AEI and others to defend its turf, while the AEI, Urban Institute, and Milliman studies all have important caveats.
Nonetheless, taxpayers are left to wonder whether they are on any safer ground with government mortgage liabilities now than they were when lawmakers and regulators pushed the credit score competition issue seven years ago.
Three of the four studies referenced above found varying, and relatively small differences in the predictability of the two models. And for these small differences, lenders may be incurring major overhead for converting operations to both models that could raise costs for borrowers.
Less scrupulous actors might also be tempted to play off one score against another in each loan situation to qualify as many borrowers as possible—a “gaming” scenario that defeats the purpose of the models in predicting risk, while leaving taxpayers to guarantee an even bigger government-backed lending portfolio.
Instead of more blunders that imperil the nation’s finances, taxpayers need a policy reset now from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. It starts with a full disclosure from FHFA, internal documents and all, about how it arrived at the 2022 credit score competition decision. And as NTU testimony has demonstrated, taxes are by far the single biggest consideration in a consumer’s mortgage closing costs.
Congress at least recognized that problem by making Private Mortgage Insurance a more attractive, tax-deductible product via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. States and localities need to do their part by reducing transfer taxes and rationalizing the building permit process.
Meanwhile, stronger capital requirements, policies to encourage reinsurance and risk transfer away from taxpayers in the mortgage market, and a genuine plan for government divestment of the GSEs all deserve thoughtful formulation from federal leaders. These approaches will create a stronger housing market that will encourage better predictive tools to evolve organically, rather than at government’s spearpoint.
In a recent op-ed for National Mortgage News, the authors of the AEI study concluded, “given the trillions in mortgage debt, millions of borrowers, and immense taxpayer exposure, it is essential that the debate be grounded in facts rather than marketing.”
Taxpayers agree . . . and they are still wondering when public officials will recognize the need for that debate to happen.
Washington, D.C. – Today, two provisions led by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) were signed into law by President Trump. The provisions would strengthen America’s deterrence against China and prohibit men from competing in women’s sports at military academies.
“My provisions will keep our military focused on what matters – military readiness and combatting our greatest threat, China,” said Johnson. “America’s military is the strongest in the world and I’m grateful this year’s annual defense bill prioritizes our fighting force.”
Strengthening Deterrence against China:
Johnson’s amendment directs the Department of War to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to strengthen defense industrial cooperation with U.S. allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific region. It aims to move beyond limited prior directives by identifying concrete actions and priority systems to enable deeper joint development, production, and sustainment.
It is important to both reinforce ongoing efforts with Taiwan while expanding the scope of cooperation to encompass the broader region. China’s sphere of influence does not stop with Taiwan, and the U.S. must pursue a more comprehensive, region-wide strategy in response.
Johnson introduced this provision as an amendment to the NDAA, which was adopted and included.
Prohibiting Men from Competing in Women’s Sports at Military Academies:
Title IX was established to ensure equal opportunities for women in sports, and allowing biological males to compete in these categories directly undermines the intent of the law. While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has failed to implement policies that adequately protect female college athletes, Congress has direct oversight of our nation’s military academies. This issue is not hypothetical—just last year, women’s volleyball teams were forced to either forfeit matches or compete under unfair conditions against teams that included biological males on their rosters.
Johnson’s Protection of Women in Sports at Military Academies Act prohibits biological males from competing in women’s sports at United States military service academies.
Johnson’s legislation was introduced in June. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville introduced identical legislation in the Senate.
While Senate Democrats attempt to obstruct government, Republicans in the US Senate led by South Dakota Senator and Majority Leader John Thune are on track to confirm a record number of nominees, according to Fox News:
Senate Republicans inched closer to history Wednesday after blowing past yet another procedural obstacle on their way to confirming nearly 100 of President Donald Trump’s nominees.
As part of their mad dash from Washington ahead of the upcoming holiday recess, Senate Republicans advanced a tranche of 97 of Trump’s picks. The 53-47 party-line vote puts the GOP one step away from confirming the batch of nominees.
The Senate reports that they’re going to approve 417 total confirmations in 2025– clearing +90% of the civilian nominee backlog. In year 1: Joe Biden got 41% of his civilian nominees, while Trump in his first term got 57%.
