Haugaard making moves towards AG race..?

I’ve been hearing more and more recently that former Speaker of the House (2019-2021) Steve Haugaard may be making moves towards running for the office of the Attorney General.  That might also explain why he’s made a Lincoln Day Dinner appearance or two. And why the rumor has persisted.

If you recall, Haugaard most recently lost to Governor Kristi Noem in the 2022 GOP Gubernatorial Primary on a vote of 76.4% to 23.6%. And then turned around a few weeks later to (unsuccessfully) insert himself into the GOP ticket as Lt. Governor instead of now Governor Larry Rhoden at the convention.

If that’s the case, it would put Haugaard on a collision course against Fall River County State’s Attorney and former Legislator Lance Russell, who is currently the only announced candidate in the contest.

Keep watching. Things are getting interesting.

23 thoughts on “Haugaard making moves towards AG race..?”

    1. The states attorneys out there who should be seeking that office don’t want anything to do with it because of the current legislative insanity and loose cannons behind the wheel of the SDGOP.

      1. The reality is that the job should pay $500,000 to attract ass-kicking attorneys. It pays mundane money, and it attracts ambulance chasers.

  1. Do not dismiss the ability of some fellows like Mr. Haugaard, of moderate intelligence but mental giants amongst the insanerites, to sway votes his way. Mr. Haugaard became the Speaker of the past legislatures. He could easily become a fellow to aspire to be slightly better than Mr. Ravnsborg. On the scale of General Attorneys, Mr. Haugaard would probably be better than Mr. Ravsnborg or Mr. Russell. grudznick has weighed the options, and has spoken.

    Now, when Mr. Hansen the current Speaker of the legislatures dives in, we get a jello fight. Imagine the Messrs. Haugaard, Hansen, and Russell, in a kiddie pool, in Edgemont, wearing Speedos(tm), wrastling it out.

  2. This is sad. None of these three are people you would want representing your family. The state’s civil caseload is substantial and affects taxpayers. NONE of these has successfully tried any significant case like the state regularly faces.
    Two or three have no jury trial experience, and the other one his been disciplined by the SD Supreme Court because he has terrible ethics – in the use of his public office.
    This is really bad for options for our chief law enforcement officer

    1. YES! This was tried a couple years ago. The far right was opposed. They say because of outside money coming into the races but that’s just an excuse that people use that can’t raise money. The real reason was a fear of losing power.

  3. They should all be on the primary ballot and the primary should be held earlier in the year.

    The June date discourages turnout because kids are out of school and people are thinking about vacations, graduations & weddings.. During presidential election years, the national nominations are already in the bag and neither party cares whom we vote for..As a result, people with social lives are busy with other things and don’t vote.

  4. Would love to see Nelson out of Brookings county. Smart, balanced fine young man. Again, as others wisely said – who wants to deal with the right-wing whackos in Pierre?

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