KELOland has a story on the impending Jon Hansen/Karla Lems announcement tomorrow:
Rep. Jon Hansen and Rep. Karla Lems would be the first to officially enter the race. Hansen and Lems have placed an identical post on their Facebook pages, with a “Stronger Together” slogan, inviting the public to a 6 p.m. event at the Military Heritage Alliance building in Sioux Falls.
Hansen is a Dell Rapids lawyer. During his 10 years in the South Dakota House of Representatives, here’s what he has focused on:
- Restricting abortion.
- Opposing surrogate pregnancies.
- Blocking carbon dioxide pipelines.
- Steering state funds to non-public K-12 education.
- And changing state election laws.
Hansen was prime sponsor of a Republican-led effort by the Legislature in 2022 to make it more difficult for voters to amend the South Dakota Constitution, as well as to pass or stop state laws, if the proposal sought to raise taxes or impose a new tax. Republican lawmakers supported his proposal that sought to raise the threshold to 60%. It also would have required 60% of the proposal obligated state government to appropriate $10 million or more in any of the first five fiscal years.
Opponents criticized Hansen’s effort as an attempt to give the Legislature more power. He wrote the pro-side on the ballot-measure pamphlet. Voters however overwhelmingly rejected the proposed change.
I guess we know what they’ll be talking about the entire campaign – abortion, carbon pipelines, robbing funds from schools, and preventing people from helping the infertile.
It’s going to be a long campaign.
And as an aside, should we refer to the followers of Hansen/Lems as Hansen/Lemmings for shorthand?
Stay tuned.
If they somehow end up being the nominee, I’m voting Democrat.
You won’t be the only one giving them a look.
A vote for Hanson is voting for a Democrat
The more republicans that run in the primary the better for Governor Rhoden!
I predict a crowded GOP primary and ensuing Dusty Johnson win by double digits, as the “more conservative” options split the ticket per se, i.e. Jackley/Rhoden/Hansen etc. Jackley should go to Washington and take an easy win/open house seat, but he likely won’t. What a sad way to end a promising political career. Dusty is unstoppable at this point. Unless Toby Doeden skips the primary and gets on the general as an independent, he could potentially split the vote and elect, maybe Erin Healy to Gov???
Let’s have a little fun here!! Election season is starting early folks 🙂
Erin Healy- no Stephanie Herseth – maybe
If young Ms. Healy got a different hair cut she might be a viable candidate, over Mr. Hansen. Mr. Hansen is like that young weak king kid in that dragon movie, who threw tantrums and stuff. He is exactly like that, and Ms. Lems is like the character with the other tantrum people who threw folks out a moon door. Weak minded, indeed. Ms. Lems is very weak minded.
Good take Grud. John was a professional magician (literally) before his job as a person who has a law degree. He hasn’t actually worked as a lawyer so he will remain a “person who has a law degree”. Lifelong politician. Lobbyist. WTH?
He is also the lead for the crazy legislators who are trying to destroy SD. Yeah no thanks.
Is there enough time for Mark Robinson to gain SD residency and run for LT Gov and help Toby?
If, totally hypothetically, the “populist” crowd were to get Hanson through the primary, he loses to a Billy Sutton or a Jamie Smith by 10. I would call it a boondoggle. Haha
An Oakes/grudznick Libertarian ticket would crush the Hansen/Lems RINO ticket by 15 points.
Can you imagine the level of autocracy they would bring? I’m sure we would have religion in all public schools, a hand-picked panel of religious extremists to review all healthcare decisions within the state (maybe Jon’s buddy Priest Schaefbauer can be on it). So much freedom and kumbaya Jesus would stop in SD first before anywhere else in the world when he comes back.
Despite the common belief, Jon Hanson would probably not be the worst candidate the Republican Party could run for governor. The names that come to mind
Julie Frye-Mueller
Laffy Taffy
The rest of the “FreedumbCaucus”