KOTA News has a story today on Governor Larry Rhoden’s campaign event in Sturgis last night, where he listed off his list of accomplishments as Governor:
With almost a year under his belt as governor, Rhoden mentioned three accomplishments he’ll hang his hat on in a bid for re-election: banning eminent domain for carbon pipelines, slowing property tax increases and working to develop a new prison construction plan.
and..
Rhoden said transparency will be key in his first campaign atop the gubernatorial ticket.
So, where is the field of candidates on these claims?
Not sure ethanol producers (or GEVO) would agree with banning carbon pipelines on the list, but the signing of House Bill 1052 is the first bill on Governor Rhoden’s list of accomplishments which he intends to campaign on in the 2026 primary election. But there are others who will be looking to cast a line in the same waters.
Specifically on the carbon pipeline issue, obviously, Jon Hansen can’t campaign enough on it. Toby Doeden is also attempting to use that issue. Congressman Dusty Johnson’s platform notes that he believes South Dakota needs to protect private property rights.
In reference to the property tax portion, much of that would appear to be “yet to come” in the next legislative session, as there has not been much that has materialized in property tax reduction in the last session. Governor Rhoden’s primary proposal has consisted of a county sales tax option for property tax relief, placing the onus on counties to choose whether to raise the taxes themselves.
A recent proposal of Rhoden’s opponent Jon Hansen consisted of telling the governor to cut spending by 5%. Which really is kind of meaningless, since fiscal years lag, and since he wants to have the job next he could choose to do that himself. Toby Doeden has been trying to address the issue, but with goofy, undefined claims about external revenue that he really can’t or won’t provide specifics on. Congressman and gubernatorial hopeful Dusty Johnson indicates (again, in his platform) that his goal is to cut property taxes for homeowners, farmers, and ranchers, without defunding police, roads, or schools.
The prison is the most clearly defined accomplishment for the Governor, especially with Jon Hansen doing his best to sink the prison at the last minute. Toby Doeden again came with complaints that it was a luxury hotel and no solutions. But did get his legislative minions to cast a no vote. So he can’t say much about it either. During the debate Congressman Johnson deferred getting into the prison fray.
As the campaign moves forward, we’re sure to hear more specifics about candidate platforms.
And maybe by June 2026, Toby Doeden will be able to actually explain his external revenue nonsense.
Not pillars I would want to stand on. The prison he can chalk up. That was something. Property tax isn’t something he should bother mentioning as his “accomplishment” effectively did nothing. And pipeline? Not sure I would brag about destroying trust in our state from those who would want to do business here. I especially wouldn’t do it in earshot of the senators that got stabbed in the back by him. His campaign is off to a rocky start with a lot of holes to be exploited.
The prison is good for SoDak, but remember –
– Noem and legislators saved up the $650m
– Larry capitulated on Wasko
– Larry capitulated on the location
– Larry capitulated on the price tag
This doesn’t seem like great leadership?
Oh I understand how little he had to do with it, but he did see it over the finish line. So I’m giving him that one.
You might call it capitulated. Others of us might call it compromising, negotiating, coming to a consensus over time (taskforce), perseverance, bargaining or some might simply call it the art of a deal. And ultimately, finalizing. Done deal.
I call it Tony playing clean-up and getting things done behind the scenes while Larry continually moves the goal post.
Open for business. Only not so much.
That stance will get him zero primary support. Those freedom fighters are going to Hansen or Doeden. Pipeline Greta will never be at a rhoden rally.
Larry took advice from those around him who whispered that this wasn’t that big of a deal. The project could still go forward. Ethanol would be fine. I can tell you folks in Nebraska and North Dakota are laughing all the way to the bank. And check in on our ethanol plants 5-10 years from now when the neighbors are taking markets away. Check in on our corn farmers.
So keep taking credit for a bill that gets you no political support. Costs this state immensely and kneecaps ag for a generation to come. Open for opportunity indeed.
The corn bid is $3.37 in Lake Preston tonight. Thanks, Larry!
So no credit for the prison but the pipeline is all his responsibility…. the irony is too much. This is just unbelievable.
He’s claiming it! He signed the bill to kill the pipeline and is saying it’s an accomplishment. I thought he would be proud of $3.37 corn.
I would advise any good South Dakota GOP
Fan to tread cautiously with regards to Good old boy Larry.
Gary Cammack and Larry are cut from the same cloth and if that’s any indication of the quality of individuals that we can expect, we have had enough crap out of Union Center already.
The state is swimming in corn. Basis levels are -.90 or higher, not sure I would brag about destroying potential corn demand.
People criticize public company CEO’s for only looking to the next quarterly report.
Politicians like Rhoden only look to the next news cycle.
We need leaders in business who look at least to the next few years and leaders in politics who look to the next generation.
Has the Governor seen the price of corn lately? Is he sure he wants to take credit for paralyzing the state’s largest industry’s earning potential?
Many people have finally put 2 and 2 together and realized what that pipeline would have done for the commodity and revenue potential in our state.
Will this turn out to be a farm vs. ranch style fight?
Paralyzing? Hardly.
The votes SUPPOSEDLY represent the citizens (or the loudest or the ones Toady funded), right? Errrr..
While I wouldn’t recommend campaigning on signing the HB 1052, putting the blame of the pipeline going down at Larry’s feet seems dishonest. His signing of the bill, in my opinion, was a good move to close the book on a fight that was lost (see the 2024 election results). The amount of political capital that was expended for that pipeline can’t be underestimated and wasting more on that endeavor would have been foolish.
All he had to do was veto it. Kick it back to the legislators, where he made sure the votes were there, and let them override
Jake, ask any legislator friends of yours about what Larry did in the lead up to 1052. He lied to them, told them to kill it because he didn’t want to veto it. He went back on his word, and now is celebrating 1052. That’s not a leader, he’s just following Hansen.
Celebrating is a bit much. Rhoden is not following Hansen on any topic. Hansen has been chasing Rhoden’s headlines and accomplishments at every turn.
*Rhoden and Noem worked diligently on the Maude case for months with success after Rollins got in. Jon? Took a picture on their land.
*Rhoden took a hard stance on USD woke professor with BOR but let them do their job. Hansen? Called the USD President. No specific outcome.
*ND Lawsuit – joke – late to the game by far
*FEDERAL gender dysphoria treatment played off as if it was state funded the night before the prison vote claiming HE just ‘found’ it? After voting with ALL in the taskforce? If he was a mediocre and/or a conservative lawyer he would have ‘found’ it years ago. Nope. Blipped on his ‘research’ the night before the vote (which he voted yes, until he voted no). Hardly believable. Not to mention his lifetime conservative ratings aren’t anything he’ll be publishing.
This is 100% accurate. Larry doesn’t keep his word and repetitively threw others under the bus for his benefit. Why do you think there are only 2-5 legislators who support him in his attempt to make his interim time permanent? He can’t be trusted and he doesn’t lead.
100% agree
Have any of you seen the Seinfeld episode where Kramer paints the lane lines so he can drive in two lanes at once?
We never learn. West River Larry Rhoden is the second coming of West River Walt Miller from 1993-94. Fell into a leadership job that he wasn’t cut out for then doubles-down and runs in a contested primary. Outcome will be the same again.
So are you saying Doeden does win?