In a substack post attributed to former Democrat Senate candidate Julian Beaudion, the recently exited candidate wastes no time in relating his story. One that seems like it comes from a darker time in our country.
Beaudion wastes no time accusing people including un-named state Dem party leaders of racism and says Brian Bengs personally participated in trying to pressure him out of the race:
I learned that representatives associated with American Muckrakers had contacted the South Dakota Democratic Party regarding financial information about me. According to what was relayed to me, the message was essentially this: pressure Julian to leave the race or damaging information would be released.
I did not leave.
And..
On Saturday, Brian reached out and asked to meet face-to-face with me and my wife, Inkka.
And…
I will never forget how that conversation began.
My recollection of his words is:
“I’m not dropping out of this race, and if you stay in, things will get worse for you.”
And..
According to her account, she was given information about efforts against my candidacy, including an allegation that people connected to the earlier “East River White Men” effort included individuals holding senior positions within the South Dakota Democratic Party.
She told his campaign manager that she was uncomfortable with how personal things had become and reminded him that I had young children.
And..
This is what systemic white supremacy can look like.
Not necessarily a person wearing a hood.
Not necessarily someone shouting a racial slur.
Sometimes it is a system in which institutions, money, relationships and access to power converge in ways that determine who is considered acceptable, who gets protected, who gets heard, and who is told that continuing to participate will make life worse.
These are Beaudion’s words.. as he points a finger at his former opponent Bengs, and the party on who’s behalf he was running.
My opinion of Beaudion was mostly positive before I slogged through that Substack post. It’s more than 2,000 words, and the word “I” accounts for over five percent of them (105!!), and it mainly says, “I promised I wouldn’t quit. I quit. I remain a godlike superhero.”
Julian is a good man who has served South Famota honorably as a Highway Patrolman. Socialist Bengs is a scumbag who will say and do anything to get elected.