At the Rapid City crackerbarrel yesterday, House Assistant Majority Leader Chris Johnson (District 32) announced he will not be seeking re-election, creating an open seat in Rapid City.
A big chunk of the House GOP Leadership team will be vacated this next year with the Majority Leader Position (Kent Peterson) termed out, Assistant Majority Leader Johnson gone, and Majority Whip Tim Goodwin running for the Senate.
Who does that leave for next year? Speaker Spencer Gosch, who has been engaged in multiple controversies this last year, as well as open warfare with the Governor, Speaker Pro Tempore Jon Hansen who has also found himself at loggerheads with the second floor, and Majority whips Kirk Chaffee, Kevin Jensen, Rebecca Reimer and Marli Wiese.
Now that leaves a huge void for next year, and it’s entirely possible that the house may be a very different place with some very good candidates who are running this next year. Or it could be more of a dysfunctional mess than it is now. We’ll see.
I do note that current Senate Majority Leader Gary Cammack will be running for the House, so we’ll see if he enters into competition for legislative leadership this next November.
We will see.
Now is the time for Carl Perry to step up!
best joke yet!
I think you’ll see some of the solid first-termers run for leadership next year. Mortenson for Pro Tem? Rehfeldt in leadership?
Obviously the primaries will have a big say on what the House caucus looks like but it will be fascinating!
Mort would best serve as pro tem! Not to sure if he would be good anywhere else in leadership.
These fellows in the legislatures sure have made a mess by electing those insaner than most to leadership positions. The ship is nearly sunk on the side where Mr. Haugaard puppets them all, and when he’s gone the rest will flounder and implode. Good on Mr. Johnson seeing this is about to happen and getting out before his mind is totally broken.
Odenbach for majority leader? Hansen for speaker? Soye for pro temp? Tamera st john for assistant?
VS
Mortenson for pro temp? Rehfeldt for assistant, jess olson for speaker? Venhuizen for majority leader?
I think Hansen’s dreams of higher office are done after this session, Jess Olson won’t be back.don’t know if we’ll see Soye back.
Hansen hasn’t filed for reelection, but I would assume he’ll be challenged for Speaker.
Is Olson not running or is Anonymous 11:24 assuming she gets taken out by a challenger?
I’ll put my money on Rebecca Reimer, but it’s pretty early. Experience in leadership is pretty important.
$5 she runs and does not win in a race for leadership