From Facebook, former State Senator Brent Hoffman announces that he’s praying about running for office.
And in this case it might be appropriate to say a ‘Hail Mary,’ which would mirror the kind of campaign he’d be running if he intends to take on one of South Dakota’s longest serving political figures, former State Senator/Senate Majority Leader, former Governor, and current US Senator Mike Rounds:
Brent has been successful in prior runs for office for City Council in Iowa and now one term in the South Dakota Senate. But I’m not sure he appreciates what he’d be taking on. Especially from a Senator Mike Rounds who seems to have found a new fire to serve over the last couple of years, as the Senator has navigated his life in the time since his beloved wife Jean’s passing from cancer in May of 2021.
And Mike comes to the race with $1.8 Million plus in the bank to start his effort, along with the likely support of fellow South Dakotan and Majority Leader John Thune, who Rounds backed for the position and enjoys a good relationship with.
Brent’s reality is that he may be finding himself in a much different kind of race than he’s ever had to run before against an incumbent who is the embodiment of South Dakota nice. So if Brent finds himself waking in the night, seeing lights and receiving a vision to run for US Senate, he might want to turn Netflix off and go back to sleep.
How did his petition drive go last year to put tougher term limits on the ballot?
Brent was oddly a regular on Dumpster Fire Doeden’s FB page and Dumpster Fire PAC FB page.
B.R. would fit in nicely with the crazies, but I think we’ll see the crazies take a hit if this MAGA agenda stuff doesn’t work. Sure, the base will eat a s#it sandwich and say it tastes great if Trump tells them, but the swing of the middle voters won’t. If the only benefactors from all these cuts and tax breaks are the rich, and we still have a situation where we aren’t getting a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, the crazies will not be able to overtake the “RiNo’s”. Hopefully, he will hear that message in his prayers before he wastes a lot of time.
Mr. Powers, I don’t think we’ve ever met, but you’re always welcome to reach out to me. I first moved to glorious South Dakota forty years ago and moved back permanently after my wife passed to cancer. I’ve served in elective office twice in my home state, each time defeating an incumbent and serving one term. On the issue of running for the U.S. Senate, I agree it would be a challenge, but like you, my decisions aren’t guided by other people’s opinions. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Mr. Hoffman, you should stay home and enjoy your family. Mike Rounds is not the enemy – he’s good at this job and represents us well. The House seat will likely be open and up for grabs, but running against Rounds will not be anything like the other seats you’ve run for. Anyone can elected to the Legislature and they do.
I agree. Try the House if you want, but Rounds isn’t the fight. That guy is the reason Ellsworth still exists today, let alone is growing to carry the next generation bomber.
Don’t forget the DUSL at Homestake. Don’t forget his 2010 initiatives.
Rounds was the last great salesman and marketer of the South Dakota brand during his terms as governor, as well as an effective leader in the Western Governors conference. If you’re doing anything in this state, chances are you’re doing via something Rounds made happen. But hey, sure, run lol
Mike Rounds epitomizes EVERYTHING that is wrong with the GOP. Red State primaries are coming, change is coming. Tissues are on sale at Walmart for ya I’ve heard. Good at his job, You idiot!
.. what? Being a decent human being is what’s wrong with the GOP? Good luck with that.
This is why all of your takes are so poor, to you, politics is a personality test. It’s very illustrative and explains why you’re so often now on the side getting wrecked. No doubt, this strategy has worked great for demonstrably Low IQ guys like Rounds, who made a career out of being “nice.” But people have woken up. The country has been on a nose dive and you guys keep selling more of the same. You guys have no clothes now. But please by all means don’t change a thing. It’s working so well for you “centrists”. Good day
Again, good luck with that.
It seems fairly clear that you haven’t actually spent time with rounds. He’s been up to speed on every bill I’ve ever spoken to him about. Understands them and knows how to navigate to get things done. You people are just hating nutcases.
Some of us have longer memories and how he handled EB-5 was not ok. Many conflicts of interest and hidden money to the tune of 550k -which puts into perspective that maybe Wiik is wrong that that amount of money can’t be hidden- and his cabinet member died, very messy, cover-up. Decency might be too high of praise for him at this point.
Before he was one of South Dakota’s longest-serving political figures, Rounds too was a likeable, humble underdog that had served a couple of terms in the state legislature.
Yeah. And he still is likeable and now he’s a force for SD in DC. There is absolutely ZERO reason to replace him with an unknown quantity.
“And Mike comes to the race with $1.8 Million plus in the bank to start his effort, along with the likely support of fellow South Dakotan and Majority Leader John Thune, who Rounds backed for the position.” Rounds will raise another million by Christmas. Everyone knows him & he’s very popular. Really good guy. I voted for him & don’t regret it.
B.R.
If you’re praying, do so in silence. Then come back and tell us what you found. Announcing that you’re praying is pretty sad and wreaks of attention seeking.
Brent who?
Hey, I like Brent. I like Mike too. But I like Brent better. Of course it would be an uphill battle for him, but I would support him.
All a challenger needs to beat Rounds is a functioning brain. Harder to find than you think around these parts, and a big bag of money (even harder to find).
Then you give a good lesson on how Red State Senators are the biggest obstacle to Trump and the change we have been fighting for since 2016. Votes don’t lie. All you gotta do is make the guy defend his awful record and flood the zone with endless soundbites of his own making. Jesse Kelly could help 🙂
Votes dont lie. Unless Trump loses, then we’ll spend half a decade talking about how votes lie. Not even six months in office and his supporters are already lying about history.
Reading these comments, it’s becoming clear… we need another party. This one is losing its mind. Just like the progressive left destroyed the democrats, our party is moving away from sanity.
I have said for some time that we need about five to six major parties to keep each other in check and govern only where consensus can be found.
For instance: A conservative/nationalist party (think Donald Trump/Ben Carson), a progressive/socialist party (think Bernie/AOC), a globalist/economy-focused party (think Bush/Clinton), a classical liberal/civil liberties-focused party (think Justin Amash/Tulsi Gabbard) and a environmentally-focused party (think Jill Stein/Amy Klobuchar).
I don’t know what the landscape would ultimately look like, percentages-wise, but I can’t help but think it would get us out of this perpetual race to the bottom that comes with lesser-of-two-evil campaign tactics.
Open primaries would have done this the simplest way.
Rounds has legislation to eliminate the department of education, ban chinamen from buying US ag land, and voted for and defended every Trump cabinet pick. Come on in, the water’s fine! Haha