In the first few counties which are pushing in runoff results, this looks like it could be a complete rout, as several of the rural counties are coming in on a 3 to 1 basis in favor of Governor Rhoden.
If this holds true, it means that Toby Doeden has not been able to move past the 30% he received in the primary election. In fact, it may show a little backsliding as well.
Doeden campaign dead in the water as polls close.
We drove by Doeden owned Mulligans on the west side of town in the pickup and there were hardly any vehicles parked there for his victory party. Toby was outside sitting in a chair all by himself.
Tough couple months for the Citizens for Liberty Freedum Caucus Wing Nutter wing of the party.
I’m still in shock some of them won. Especially Mulally. She one of the worst. Can’t wait to watch her burn the auditors office to the ground.
Doeden was nothing but a blow-hard who made ridiculous claims furnishing no detailed plans of any type. Thankfully the voters didn’t buy his BS!
All true. What’s also true is how scary it was that idiot came to getting 35% in round one. I wonder if they will consider switching it to >50% to wingnut-proof the future primaries?
Associated Press calls it for Rhoden 70% to 30%!
But, but, the 6000 democrats and independents that switched parties were going to sway the election. Not even close. Rhoden may win by 20000 votes. A clear mandate and a statement from “real” republicans, when called upon show up to vote. Thank goodness!
You mean 50,000
It will be the 6000 democrats and the electronic voting tabulators that will be to blame.
Toby Doeden was right about one thing: he united the Republican Party. Unfortunately for him, he united it against him by jumping into bed with the likes of SD Citizens for Liberty and Legislators who voters sent packing in the last primary election. Jon Hansen would have beaten him straight up. Dusty Johnson would have beaten him straight up. Larry Rhoden just happened to be the one holding the broom.
Exactly. Margin would’ve been a little closer with Hansen (60-40ish), but clear repudiation all around.
It’s just as likely Dems voted for Toby thinking they’d have better chance winning in November (maybe with Herseth/Sutton/Smith).
Not a chance they would take a risk with Doeden being the nominee. After watching how Koskan still got 40% of the vote after his conviction, most dems knew that too many people would vote for whoever has an R behind their name instead of actually looking at the candidates.
PEOPLE OF THE REGULAR GOP RANK AND FILE: OUR WORK HAS JUST BEGUN.
Party a bit tonight – but no victory laps permitted as we face a hard-inch by hard-inch battle to really shove the wingnut wave back back back to the coffee shops and John Birch reading rooms they came from. Back from the state party portals they swamped and overran a few years ago. Back from the hand-count anti-vax nuttery we have had to endure during their ascendance to power. Our power. I remember a party that stood on party issues at election time, and governed for all the people after victory, and I want to go forward from THERE. Speak up for it and keep speaking, or on a few years a new Gordon Howie will rise up to sing his way to the Governors mansion and the incremental decay starts all over again. Hard no.