Senate GOP undergoing caucus elections for LRC’s Executive Board. Assistant Majority Leader Perry, Taffy Howard both denied in early balloting *Updated*

@SoDakCampaigns

Sounds like the Senate’s Republican Caucus elections for the Legislature’s Executive Board are happening, in that several far right populists are being beat out for positions by others with a steady hand at the wheel.

What’s the inside track? Here’s the blow by blow I was given of how the vote went down:

Republican E-Board Candidates:

Deibert          Kolbeck
Perry              Peterson
Pischke          Otten
Reed               Taffy

Here’s what I’m being told are the results from caucus voting:

  • First round of caucus voting has Ernie Otten as the only clear winner with majority support. In the first round, Sue Peterson was dropped as the lowest vote recipient.
  • Round 2: Steve Kolbeck and Randy Deibert win in the second round.   Taffy Howard was knocked off in round 2 as lowest vote getter. (I’m told she was annoyed and sitting by herself.)
  • Round 3: Tim Reed, Carl Perry, and Tom Pischke for 1 spot. Tim Reed top vote getter but not a majority, and Assistant Majority Leader Carl Perry was bumped off by his peers. That’s got to sting for the #2 Republican in the Senate.
  • Round 4: Tom Pischke versus Tim Reed – Tie 16-16
  • Round 5: Tom Pischke versus Tim Reed #2 – another 16-16 tie.

With an unbroken 16-16 tie between Reed and Pischke, Round 6 is postponed until tomorrow.

There’s definitely a division in the caucus, with Ernie Otten in the catbird seat in the middle between the far right populists and the traditional Republican camps. And most of the hardest right being bumped.

Stay tuned.  We’ll see if it goes to an experienced hand in Tim Reed, or “I hate Mitchell” Tom Pischke.

*Updated*

Apparently Pischke won the final ballot this AM. Can’t win them all.

15 thoughts on “Senate GOP undergoing caucus elections for LRC’s Executive Board. Assistant Majority Leader Perry, Taffy Howard both denied in early balloting *Updated*”

  1. What? Carl Perry has his name on every bill no matter how crazy and time wasting they are. District 3 can without a doubt do much better.

    1. Has his name on every bill and routinely votes against his own bills. So silly sleepy Carl

    2. D3 had an excellent opportunity to replace petty Perry in June, and they blew it by not getting to the polls.
      If I lived in Dist 3, I would be sending Katie Washnock flowers, apologies, and encouragement weekly starting now for 2026!
      Perry and his fellow D3 doofuses are 3 wasted votes in Pierre. I cannot comprehend how they keep getting elected.

  2. What happens if the voting continues to result in a 16 – 16 tie?

    I don’t see a lot of “common ground” between those two legislators and suspect that’s true with their supporters, as well. I think a deadlock, is a likely result.

    1. There’s always someone with a squishy spine who will switch. I heard they did in the actual leadership elections, too.

  3. “populists” hahaha…so noted. Tired of people calling them/themselves conservatives when its clear from their language and bill sponsorships and voting records that they are not…

    1. Who exactly deemed you the right to pick and choose who and what is and is not “conservative?”
      Who gets to define that? Who gets to decide?
      Must they believe exactly what you believe on every point and aspect of their political view and life, or “RINO!” What happens when someone (GASP) MORE CONSERVATIVE than you emerges, and suddenly you’re the “RINO?”
      Who deemed you the right to declare conservative superiority?
      So….noted!
      Be careful what you wish for; you’re likely next.

  4. Pischke cost himself with his vote against Mitchell. Karr should abandon any support for Tom.

    1. There has to be a stop to some of the stupidness. Karr, Mehlhaff and Perry as leaders need to show that there are consequences for being dumb.

      Pischke can vote however he wants on any bill but to block a commemoration for a community receiving an award should disqualify him to all of leadership.

      1. It should disqualify him from a lot actually. That is a level of pettiness unbecoming any elected official. Those awards mean a lot to smaller communities. They use them to promote and market their communities. Those awards mean actual money and development opportunities. Of all the absolute stupidity I have witnessed this session, this takes the cake.

  7. There are so many reasons Pisshead is unqualified for this position. What in gods name is wrong with this legislature??

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