In tomorrow’s contest for South Dakota GOP Chair, John Wiik only choice to lead party through next election. Fitzgerald for Vice-Chair.

The South Dakota Republican Party is having an internal contest tomorrow as to who will guide the organization at least through the next two year election cycle.

Two candidates have offered themselves for serving the members of South Dakota’s Republican Party as chair. One, Former State Representative Tom Brunner, announced that he intended to run for the chairmanship when State Representative Kevin Jensen withdrew from the race.  At this writing, Brunner has been a candidate for State GOP Chair for less than 100 hours.  His running mate for vice-chair, Tamera Weis, has been in the race less than 24 hours.  It seems from the onset that their candidacies were not ones that involved careful contemplation of the job, the extensive and often thankless and never-ending duties, and the weight they would be taking on their shoulders. Rather, it sure seems they were talked into running so a faction of oppositional people could get warm bodies in the race.

I have often said that the only problem with being chairman is that once you get the job, you actually have to be chairman.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked for the party way back thirty years ago, and more recently, work with them on projects over the last several campaign cycles. I can tell you first-hand the Chairmanship role is not one to be taken as a lark. It is not for the faint of heart, and from the moment they take office, they take on massive responsibilities, a exhausting travel schedule both in-state and out of state, and they take on the mantle of having to raise a million dollars or more to keep the lights on.  You can hire staff to do some of it, increasing your expenses, but the buck stops with the chairman. It’s mentally and physically taxing, sucking up time from your family and your employment.

And not only are you taking on a challenge of earning enough to keep the lights on, you are also taking on the challenge of earning legitimacy and buy-in from the people you serve at all levels.  You have to have the cooperation of the stakeholders in the Republican party. Both organizationally and from the elected officials who are in the public’s eye the figureheads for the organization.

Governor Noem doesn’t need the party to raise tens of millions of dollars. Senator Thune doesn’t need the party to raise tens of millions of dollars. Neither does Mike Rounds or Dusty Johnson, or even Marty Jackley.  Generally the State House and State Senate can raise significant funds on their own as well. However, their working in synergy with the party helps bring up the next generation to serve in office. It allows the party to raise funds for themselves, as well help candidates who need technical assistance, such as some constitutional offices. Providing technical assistance to new legislative candidates as well as county and other candidates.  Buy-in at the top helps the mission of the organization to keep the party healthy and thriving.  A healthy and vibrant Republican party is good for all members of the GOP.

And there’s only one candidate for Chairman who has taken the time and effort to make his case, and earn the buy-in from stakeholders. 

John Wiik has been on the road (and on the phone) making his case to become the next chair of the Republican Party. Wiik has worked as a member of his county Republican organization, and has served in the legislature for a decade, successfully running for election without a break in service.  Wiik has been talking to people about serving in the role of chairman informally since late November, and announced officially over a month ago that he was running with the endorsement of all of our State’s elected officials, as well as with a massive number of members of GOP Leadership, numbering at 100 or more at this writing.

As a long-time member of our local Central Committee,  I can tell you that Senator Wiik is known to most members of our local group, as he is with many Republicans across the state.  I can’t say the same for his opponent, who I have yet to see even an e-mail from regarding his candidacy (and yes, I’m voting tomorrow, as I am carrying a proxy).

Since announcing, John Wiik has held telephone town halls with members of the central committee, as well as spoken with individual members directly. He has been answering questions and has made his case to be the next chairman.  Senator John Wiik has earned the opportunity to serve as the next chair for the entire GOP throughout South Dakota, not just a person representing a faction who is only concerned with getting their guy in.  Because Wiik knows it’s not just about one person, or one group. It’s about the health and strength of the entire South Dakota Republican Party.

 

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Similarly, I would also encourage the election of State Representative Mary Fitzgerald as Vice Chair. I can say that I haven’t always seen eye to eye with Mary.  But I can also tell you that she is not afraid to reach out and bridge a divide, which she absolutely has. And without a doubt, she is the strongest candidate. Mary Fitzgerald should be the next Vice-Chair of the South Dakota Republican Party. 

As John Wiik noted when he announced Mary as his running mate, “Mary is a dedicated county party chair and state legislator.” said John Wiik “She knows a lot about long days of hard work in public service and will be a great addition to the leadership team.”  Mary IS a dedicated County Chair, and has been involved with the party for decades. She knows what it takes to run a successful Republican organization in one of our State’s largest counties.

Mary is also an indefatigable campaigner who has won elected office. People might not give this a lot of credence, but I think this is an important quality in our party’s elected officials considering the very job of the Republican party is to elect candidates. Good Candidates make great Republican Party leaders. If you look a the successes the party has had under past leaders such as Bob Gray, Tim Rave, and Dan Lederman, they understand what the party can do to bolster and complement the efforts of candidates when they are in the waning days of a campaign.

John Wiik and Mary Fitzgerald are the only effective team who can lead the South Dakota Republican Party through the next election.  They have the experience at the grassroots in the Republican Party, and they have the experience in running effective campaigns for office.

I hope you will join me in hoping for their success tomorrow and supporting their candidacies to lead the South Dakota Republican Party.