Hearing that was quite the interesting GOP Dinner in Watertown last night. Most consistent comment was that Haugaard was a jerk, as he phoned it in.

@SoDakCampaigns

I’ve been talking to people about the GOP dinner last night in Watertown, and from the sounds of it, it was quite interesting.

Taffy Howard spoke about her “A” rating on guns, only to be followed by Dusty Johnson who got to speak about his “A+” from the NRA, and his accompanying endorsement. Ouch. Although, while Dusty was talking, I’m told some dude at Taffy’s table stood in front of the podium with some sign, only to have Brett Holien chase him around the room so Dusty could finish his speech.

Also heard about John Thune’s challenger, Bruce Whalen, who generally ranted on, and used some profanity in the direction of Senator Thune’s campaign manager after he spoke.  Doesn’t sound very Christian of him.  Not that he’s going to win, anyway.

Big item that most people were remarking about was the speech that Steve Haugaard phoned in. No, not his usual phoning it in, but they put him up via speaker over the phone, where he proceeded to generally trash Governor Noem, and the people I all spoke with commented that he was really kind of a jerk.  How many votes did he think he was going to get?

Those who are hosting these events, probably a good lesson. Letting a candidate phone in attacks was a mistake. If someone is going to be jerky, they, or their designated speaker should have to show up and own it.

Lee Schoenbeck had a short campaign speech, and use the rest of the time to rebut the tone of Haugaard’s attacks, pointing out that while there are times where he disagrees with Governor Noem, and they may fight over some issues, he knows she cares about South Dakota, and he’s going to work with her to make our state better.

Those remarks and actions kind of set the differences between some of the candidates, as you might see in this advertisement from D4 House Candidate Adam Grimm:

You know, it starts out with a nice sentiment, but then he gets 1/3 of the way in, and he uses the rest of the advertisement to look like a jerk.  Do we need more people like that in the legislature? No. Does anyone realistically think that this advertisement changed the way anyone attending the dinner is going to vote? No.

But that’s the challenge the GOP faces this election. With record inflation, record gas prices, and an economy that’s facing rocky times, do we need people who point out they are married to a woman, or do we need people who are willing to solve problems without sounding like they spend too much time on facebook?

And there you go.

58 thoughts on “Hearing that was quite the interesting GOP Dinner in Watertown last night. Most consistent comment was that Haugaard was a jerk, as he phoned it in.”

  1. Nothing new from Whalen. All he’s got is name-calling and insults. He’s embarrassing himself.

  4. This was a problem because Steve can’t give the same speech in Person while Kristi is present. He’s not wrong about the executive orders. But he’s a scared little boy when Noem is in the room. Typical of the say no to everything candidates. All guts on the phone and social media and giant wimps in person when it counts.

    1. He still will never give that speech person. Especially if the governor is there.

    2. He is wrong about the executive order! It is more like an Executive Suggestion. It says they shall stay at home if possible. Also gives examples of reasons to leave. Has no threat of enforcement etc.

      1. Then why issue it? If it has no teeth behind it? Grandstanding like Noem is always doing perhaps

  5. Obviously, you don’t follow current events if you don’t understand Adam Grimm’s joke. I thought it was hilarious considering future Supreme Court Justice Jackson’s refusal to define what a woman is. Adam is a funny guy and he’s got the right values for South Dakota. AND his joke won my vote!

    1. Don’t be a simpleton. I am well aware of where it comes from.
      It’s just not that funny,
      It’s slightly demeaning in reference to his wife, and again, underlines the impression that he wants to govern by Internet meme.

      1. Well said, maybe Tim can fill us in on this Brandon guy everyone is promoting too.

    2. This isn’t Tim TAYLOR is it? Star of a duck stamp movie with your pal Adam Grimm? Did his lame joke win your vote or because you’re best friends?

    1. This. ^ Totally this ..

      Somewhere along the line it became more rude to speak one’s mind than to loot their country.

  7. It is a darn shame that Mr. Haugaard could not appear in person to be a jerk. But, one can assume, he is phoning in even his end-stage jerkiness.

    I, for one, fear how this casts onto young Ms. Howard who is actually out there kind of trying. She cast her skirts in with the Haugaardianism, and now is left to flail in the wind alone? That reaks bad for Mr. Haguaard. Bad indeed.

  8. Now I know why Pennington County has decided to not allow them to speak at their Lincoln Day Dinner.

  9. Disappointed in Adam Grimm. I thought he was a serious candidate until I read his campaign piece. Calling people Rino’s is just plain dumb and then goes further by saying the party is corrupt. This horrible campaign piece is a sign of a failed campaign. I won’t be surprised to see him come in last on Primary election night.

        1. Now he again can devote all his time to internet trolling & not trying to convince voters his wife isn’t a tranny.

  10. The people of South Dakota will be privileged to have Adam Grimm win the election and represent them in the State house! Adam is by far the most qualified candidate on the slate and his presence will ensure that the Constitutional Rights, family values, and honorable heritage so cherished by the average citizen in SD will be protected!
    To whom it may concern: do not be swayed from the prospect of casting your vote for ADAM GRIMM, those bashing him on sites like this one are afraid to relinquish their control on you and his opponents want to steer you away from what is good and right for the people of South Dakota. Vote for a safe, sincere, and secure future; VOTE FOR ADAM GRIMM!

    1. Too many buzzwords. Can you make a couple policy positions more concrete?

        1. I think what Adam Grim stands for is – The constitution, not party politics. I believe by calling out the left side of the party is taking a stand on just how the party has been hijacked by the left in order to move the party closer to the fascist regime coming from outside the state. Those of us who want a ‘strong’ conservative government, backed up by the true morals, values, and duties of the people, that is when you have a “true republic”. A little in party fight for control is not a bad thing, calling a portion of the party RINO’s is not a bad thing when you are using it as a tool to move the party back to the right.

          I do not believe in all the name calling, nor personal attacks, but what I love to see are candidates who have the passion to make their voices heard in order to enforce the constitution, while maintaining a sense of true founding principles laid out in the Declaration of 1776.

          Not only are we seeing this played out during the election process, we are seeing this cat and mouse fight playout vigorously during legislative debates. Is that good or bad?

          Is South Dakota Politics really truly conservative? Or is South Dakota only conservative when it wants to be…

          1. Mike,

            One cannot say they stand against “party politics” while using the term RINO. That term is the entirety of party politics. It insinuates that one must act out and believe in a certain dogma to belong to the Republican Party. Maybe Mr. Grimm is the true RINO if he stands so much against the party. Why does partisanship even matter then?

          2. This is just equal parts buzzwords too. Policy positions are all I am asking for.

        2. Matthew is one the wannabe trolls that try to impress Adam by defending him ‘ kissing his ass. Matthew never has anything to say but thinks he’ll seem smarter with the more he types with some words IN ALL CAPS. Blowhard clown.

    2. from the looks of that campaign ad, Adam Grimm is just Stace Nelson 2.0
      He called his fellow legislators criminals and rinos, and annoyed so many people nobody wanted to work with him, which resulted in him not accomplishing anything. He wasted everybody’s time by introducing resolution after resolution, and spent all his time grandstanding.

      We’ve seen this act before. Grimm’s campaign ad indicates he will be a gloriously ineffective legislator.

      1. grudznick is the de facto ranker of ineffectiveness in the legislatures, more or less, so we will have to see where this young Mr. Grimm ends up in the event he is elected.

        Mr. Klouceck remains the #1, most ineffective in the legislatures, ever, with Mr. Nelson a close #2. This young fellow, Mr. Grimm, probably projects as a top 10 most ineffective right out of the gate, although he hasn’t even pitched a law bill or shown up for a bullpen session with the council of legislative ineffectiveness yet.

        1. What do you call an EFFECTIVE LEGISLATUTER?

          A) Some who gets bills passed; or

          B) a person unwilling to compromise on constitutional ideals.

          1. Mike Z, an effective legislator gets bills passed. Politics is the art of the possible.
            Perfection in legislation is elusive and people who seek it end up disappointed. And ineffective.

        2. Grudz: Sadly, your record of ineffective blogging pales in comparison to any negative comments you have about others.

  11. Was this Bruce’s comments about delousing Thune?

    Because if you lay with dogs (assuming you haven’t shot them), you could get fleas.

    Is Thune totally compromised?

  12. Is “Anonymous” another word for coward? Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that most if not all of the above comments by “Anonymous” are actually written by the same cowardly person?

    1. perhaps you should take heed. If you trash your opponent, and only your opponent, it’s unlikely you will have to work together at a later date. One of you will be in the legislature and the other will not. So trashing your opponent works.
      But when you trash everybody else in the legislature, and you go on to win the seat, you are going to have to work with the other members. Even though they have won their respective seats, it will be quite possible your attacks have cost them some votes, and they won’t like that, or you.
      When you need their votes on a piece of legislation they will likely tell you to go take a seat, in tbe men’s room.

      1. Does the same advice go to those calling other members WACKADOODLES? asking for a friend.

        1. This is why, outside of Mr. Klouceck, the Whackadoodles currently have a firm grip on 5 of the Top 10 Most Ineffective in the Legsilatures list.

        2. Stop behaving that way. Chemtrails, 5g, stolen elections, and now, some of you absolute loons are arguing that the vaccine wasnt a vaccine at all, but low dose snake poison. And you expect the general public to, what, exactly? Hail you all as heroes? For these claims you research on friggin facebook?

    2. Adam: You’re going to have to get a thicker skin if you want to be a politician & not just a wannabe troll candidate.

  13. I think what I see here is a growing fued between the state established politics vs a new age republican party led by trumplocans reverting us back to the constitution and policies that engage the people. This new age approach scares the estaishmebt here in the state cause they fear losing control of the senate. We seen how corrupted the S.D House is by the vote on impeachment, and we see how corrupted the governor may be by over acting her position. We see what happens when we try to fight federal corrupted policies, when 50% of the legislature caves to the Federal Govt jistbfoe the benefit of federal dollars.

    We need to support Anti Federalism if we are to save this country for tomorrow.

    2. Are you saying the SD GOP will have to change tactics and actually address issues rather than blaming it on the 7 “libs” in state government? The people of SD are actually smarter than some think, and now we have to divide the repubs into RINO’s and “anti-federalist”? This anti-federalist idea sounds good now, but we all know you’ll be running back to the Fed as soon as some ideology doesn’t go your way. Can you remind us again how we can’t legalize marijuana in SD because it is illegal federally? Oh, we can’t be anti-federalist, and use that line?

      1. I am saying, as a lifelong Republican party member, ‘we’ need candidates willing to stand up to traditional politics, in order to help enforce the constitution. I have always supported candidates who believe in Low Taxes, Limited Government, Balanced Budgets, Controlled or very limited Welfare Programs, and Less Dependency on the Federal Government. As a proud “Anti-Federalist” – I pride myself as someone like Patrick Henry or Thomas Jefferson or George Mason. One who believes in the States ability to be free, independent, and less dependent on the Federal Government. I support the candidates and current legislators who have adopted policy goals to restrict the Federal Govt in our daily lives, in our commercial activities inside South Dakota, and to hold our U.S Senator, U.S Representatives, and the President accountable for their actions.

        I want the Legislature to take up the task in strengthening the Electoral College by leading the effort to get back to 1 Delegate Vote Per 1 District rather than “winner take all” of the states delegates. I want the legislature to take up the matter of leading an effort to repeal the 12th Amendment thus meaning the runner up in the Presidential race becomes the Vice President; I want the legislature to take up the effort to lead the charge to repeal Amendments 17, 16, and 14, while repeaking the current 13th Amendment and rewriting it while adopting a new amendment that clearly bans “slavery” which the current one does not do. I want a Legislature which follow the constitution, enforcing Article 1 upon the Federal Govt. Period.

        Both Political Parties have become “left wing factions’ today, and if we are to help Take Back and Restore the Republic – we must revamp and remodel the Republican Party in the fashion of which Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, and Patrick Henry would be proud of.

        The legislature should be our last line of defense between the Federal Govt and the People, protecting our Natural Right to Life, Liberty, Property, and the Pursuit to Happiness. It needs to promote public policies which can help separate the “State” by 1/3 ‘rd from the Federal Government, it must strengthen and enlarge the South Dakota Militia accordingly as defined by Article 15 and protected by the 2nd Amendment. The legislature should create public policy where South Dakotans acting as “Free’ American Citizens have all the tools necessary to prosper. The legislature’s main job is to control “Congress” and hold them accountable.

        I believe the State of South Dakota should also create, establish a State Bank much like the Bank of North Dakota, one of which can help separate us from the Federal Reserve Banking System, one of which we can better manage our Economic, Community, and Land Developments providing to the people low interest loans in the name of Business, Housing, and Land Development.

        As for the whether or not I believe the 2018 and 2020 General Elections were defrauded or not – we will never know will we without first performing a deep and thorough investigation into the matter of both elections, auditing, reviewing, and checking every single ballot, checking the ballots against our voter rolls, and cleaning up any irregularities. DO I feel the presidential election was stolen? I believe there is enough evidence of fraud and abuse in many of the States to warrant such a investigation into the matter to determine to what degree the fraud and abuse violated the American Citizens right to “Free and Fair Elections”. That is all I will say on that.

        All I know, is I want a Legislature that will bind itself to the U.S and State Constitutions, not simply to “party politics”. I want a Legislature whom will stand as our last line of defense between the people and the Federal Government. I want legislators in place that are NOT afraid to call each other out, having the passion expressed everyday to maintain a Free, Independent, and Honest Government.

        That is what I support.

        Sincerely,
        Mike Zitterich
        Sioux Falls

        1. Thanks for finally flying the flag and destroying your credibility. Funny you feel the need to keep it under tight wraps. Almost like you know the position is nuts.

          1. Interesting that you keep laying down insults and expressing yourself in negative comments but I am yet to see you have any such positive comments let alone explain your self in ways that support your beliefs. You use a fake name to hide behind your computer screen as such cuss you are scared to present your true identity out of fear of being ridiculed. I a. Not ashamed of who I am, and I am not afraid to express my ideas and concepts. You sir are a classic left winger who hides himself in the basement cause your to afraid to come out of the closet.

            1. I’ve been a registered republican my entire adult life, save for the past two where I went independent. People like you are the reason why. You claim to represent fiscal responsibility but give full throated support to a man that pushed tax cuts through but did NOTHING about spending, driving us further and further into debt like the senile old man who runs the office now.

              That same man claimed election fraud in 2016 when he lost Iowa to Cruz. He told you he would claim it again if he lost in 2020. He lost, he claimed, you believed. Somehow, you think this is a positive trait and people like me should support you for it. I think it displays a lack of intelligence or candor, pick one. Either way, I don’t want you in charge of a gas station bathroom, let alone the state. And keep giving away your info to the “big tech” you and all your ilk claim to hate so much while you toss around your personal information like careless children.

              1. Look man, I am talking to you using “my legal name” while you use a fake name, that is not fair. You are hiding your comments behind a keyboard, while attacking me. I am placing myself out front and in the open showing everyone “my opinions, beliefs, agenda”. As a conservative, I would expect anything more or less. But you want to attack me for my comments, whereas I have said no negatives against you. You want to talk this big game, claiming people like myself are reasons you hate the system, but yet hide behind a keyboard under “Anonymous”.

                I never claimed to hate anything, You seem to be placing words in my mouth. You are right, I use my “Real Name” when voicing my political agenda, opinion, and thoughts” – I do not hide one thing. That shows I am honest with people.

                As a businessman, and raised within a family where we have had a business for the past 45 years, I will always vote favor of laws that help Small Businesses, and that means low taxes, less regulations, property rights, cause I want laws that favor Life, Liberty, Property, and Prosperity.

                This “STATE” is conservative by nature, and that is why the majority of people in this state distrust Democrats.

                Instead of blaming others, you need to look in the mirror, case closed.

                1. Funny how you refuse to talk election fraud anymore. We see you, Mike. And we’ll remember. As to the rest of your 3 paragraph puff post: I’m glad Mike Zitterich thinks Mike Zitterich is so great. I’m glad you think Trump is so great. But remember: the republican party is one of personal and fiscal responsibility. He drove us into debt, literally defecates into gold toilets, and NEVER admits fault. One of us is a republican, and one of us is little more than a populist who flows with the political tide. We want to hold true to republican ideals. You do not.

        2. Mike, this was all very well said and I am in agreement with you on a lot of what you said.

          1. Thank You. Means a lot when you are able to have meaningful conversations with others like yourself who wish to have good conversations, whether we agree or disagree, does not matter to people like me, cause well, good ideas derive from both sides.

        3. Excellent. It’s not often you see that many stupid ideas come out of one person who isn’t completely falling down drunk in a bar.

  14. Not making excuses for Steve Haugaard, but I was at my son’s hooding and graduation from USD School of Law and I saw Haugaard there. I believe that his daughter was graduating. He hooded her at the ceremony.

    1. There are plenty of events where people can’t attend, and have a campaign surrogate appear. It’s very unusual to allow a candidate to phone it in.

      1. I agree with you. Just saying it was an important event for him and his family. I recall Billie Sutton sending his Mom to a candidate forum to speak for him, when he first ran for office. That did not look the best either. She sat on the panel with the other candidates and fielded questions.

  15. Adam Grimm from what I have repeatedly seen is one mean spirited social media troll. He appears to relish attacking and destroying others who have different opinions and live their lives differently. He claims to be a Christian but his trolling shows otherwise. Not quite the level of the vile serial hate troll Crazy Larry Kurtz but still bad. Grimm would make Pierre even more Grim.

    1. That’s what I’ve seen from him online & he thinks he’s a really smart & funny guy when he does it. I think he only wants to be in the government because it’s been a few years since he was in stamp movie & he misses being a star in the spotlight. This is Hollywood Grimms way of getting attention again.

  16. Why are we taking a politician wannabe’s word for it? They lie all the time- Adam Grimm should now have to prove that his wife is a biological woman. Get her an Only Fans so we can see for ourselves or I’m calling BS! lol

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