I’d heard rumblings that someone out of Pierre was looking at serving as the SDGOP’s next chair.
And those rumors are confirmed tonight as a group letter has been issued from the top of the party’s ticket endorsing former SD Secretary of Labor Pam Roberts as their candidate of choice for Republican State Party chairwoman. Roberts had also served in other roles including Chief of Operations under Governor Janklow.
Joining Pam on the endorsed slate of candidates includes Drake Olson as vice chair, Sara Frankenstein Hoyt as Secretary, and Justin Bell as treasurer.
Pam’s a sharp, and well organized person, and brings a slightly different dynamic to the SDGOP than that of ad man Craig Lawrence. But she’s no less experienced, and should not disappoint.
Pam’s not the first woman to serve as GOP chair. If memory serves, Pat Adam of Pierre, and Arlene Ham of Rapid City had previously served in the role in the 70’s/80’s.
Candidates will be voted on at an upcoming Republican Central Committee Meeting.
Excellent choices! Craig is a tough act to follow, but this crew will be great.
Note it contrast to the Dems: nobody is asking for Pams view on a specific issue.
Her standout qualifications
1). History of carrying water for the Elephant
2). Leadership
3). Management
4). Achievement
5). Commitment
This is beyond wrong in so many ways. It is the members choice who should lead them not a few self appoint kings
Maybe Dan Willard should come back from parts unknown and “run again.”
Bwaaa hah ha ha ha ha ha!
I’m glad she wants(?) it! She’ll do a great job!
Talk about paying it forward and giving back to South Dakota and Pam Roberts and her entire family come into clear focus as the essence of what we are made of in this State. This is
an incredible gift of time and energy from someone who has already given so much.
This is wrong in so many ways!!! The members of the Republican Party are suppose to choose their leader not a small group self righteous self appointed kings!!! It’s time this states GOP takes its party back from the backstabers and liars that infest this state.
Can we take it back from the illiterate too?
Anonymous 9:53:
This slate of candidates are chosen by the Central Committee which meets I think in February. The Central Committee is made of the various officers of the counties and these officers are free to support other candidates. Thus, your comment is uninformed. I suggest you run if you are so inclined.
Troy nock off the BS we all know what this is! A shakedown of the CC members by the powers that be saying you vote for these people or else. Maybe what would be better is we vote for these positions at the state convention in fact I beleieve I shall bring it up at the next convention for the floor to change the way in which these positions are voted on
Whatever works for you Lora.
I find it useful and informative that all four of our major leaders endorse Pam. If I were on the CC, their endorsement would be meaningful to me. If I disagree with them on Pam, I’d vote consider another candidate.
Why do think CC members (who are elected by local Republicans) would not do the same? Your denigration of their character as a group is more a reflection on you than anyone else. It isn’t surprising you would make your generalized character assassination anonymously.
What an awesome bunch!! Very excited to work with them. Troy and Charlie, you are right on. See you at the CC Meeting!
Great people in Pam, Drake and Justin. Frankenstein needs to be more active and attend central committee meetings (i don’t think she has been to a single one in her first 2 years including being elected). But I’m a fan of hers also.
Big failure by the governor’s office to not call a single central committee member on their choices.
Dusty Johnson always called the central committee members in various counties as a courtesy.
Obviously I will support the governor’s choices and am happy with it but did anyone even notify Sandye Kading?
The central committee does need to be treated with greater respect by the governor’s office. A heads up would be nice.
And for the record, I worked with Pam for 6.5 years during the Mickelson administration. To say we had disagreements on a lot of different matters is not an overstatement. But, she was doing her job. I was doing my job. And, ultimately, the Governor did his job by deciding.
And, despite those disagreements, there is not one of the attributes listed by our Governor, Senators, and Congresswoman that I disagree with (carried water, leadership, management, commitment). I have no doubt of Pam’s commitment to making the party stronger and successful. Her level of achievement is high. And, because our disagreements weren’t insignificant, I know first-hand her leadership and management skills.
I learned three things directly about Pam. If she was your ally, you had a strong ally because she is smart and works hard. If she was disposed to oppose you, you better be prepared or you were going to get your head handed to you. And, if your turned her to your side, she became an ally.
If someone steps up that matches/exceeds Pam, the CC should consider this person. Otherwise, I’m pretty confident we will have a good Chair.
Troy no one is saying Pam isn’t a nice person or qualified for the job what is being said is the way in which things are being handled or should I say the way in which Stalin was always magically voted in with 100% of the vote seems to have brush off on how things are run in SD
Maybe the Governor recruits for the position, and seeks consensus among the other top leaders because the type of person who wants it for glory, such as someone like Gordon Howie, or Dan Willard 2 years ago, doesn’t have clue one on what the job entails.
If I were Senator or Governor, I wouldn’t pump money into supporting an organization led by an idiot who had no idea what they were doing and spent most of their time alienating a majority of the party’s members.
I’ll give you that Gordon has gone off his rocker but how has Willard alienated the majority of the party? All I’ve heard is character assualts from Pat that he can’t prove. Pat went after him not even knowing anything about him when he almost won that district 11 thing. The only strike I can see is it seems he trusted Stace Nelson and got blamed for something he doesn’t even know about. Hell Pat went after him for being a vet, supporting GOP candidates (Pat didn’t like) some of which are even considered establishment guys and gals. Heck I saw him calling in Sioux Falls at the State office for people and that’s makes him evil? This is why I keep getting more and more turned off by the outright corruption in South Dakota politics and why I haven’t given any money to the State GOP or statewide office holders (expect for Chris Nelson) in 4 years and have no plans to in the near future until they straighten their act up.
“The only strike I can see is it seems he trusted Stace Nelson and got blamed for something he doesn’t even know about.”
You’re kidding, right? Are you claiming he was wrongfully convicted?
What I’m saying young Mr William is that he may not have known what Gary Dykstra was up to and that is fairly believable because Gary is an admitted liar and has been caught doing so numerous times so how do we not know Gary didn’t lie to him also. What else seems to be clear is that the state really wanted Stace Nelson and wanted Willard to tell on Nelson but what if he can’t because he didn’t known what Nelson and Dykstra was actually doing. I listened to the whole trial on Kelo and the judge actually told the jury you can convict the guy even if you may have never of known what was going on so come what type of BS is that. It’s the same type of thing the State tried to do to that prosecutor up in Aberdeen so they could protect their own. And the city of Sioux Falls used to get rid of an unwanted employees to make sure the arena vote passed. This state is so corrupt it is sickening and begining to hold us back just look at our lagging economic numbers compared to the states arounds us. Why could anyone want to do business with a den of thieves.
Anonymous person, what on earth are you talking about, and why am I being drug into this? Aside from the fact that literally everything you’ve just stated is a complete fabrication.
Way to go Pam! Great choice and kudus for taking on probably the most thankless job in politics.
I have heard people complaining about SD having a political machine, this is one of the ugliest proofs anyone could have cited.
The leadership of the party is supposed to come from the Republicans who make up the party, not politicians putting their cronies in place to help their cronies and oppose those that don’t go along with them.
This is wrong.
SDGOPer,
Run yourself or get someone with greater capability than Pam. This is about recruiting GOP candidates, electing Republicans in the general election and making sure the party has the resources to do it. There is no policy involved.
If you get such a candidate, I’ll with an open mind consider if this person is going to be better than Pam and endorse her if I agree with you. Until then, disparaging our great top four GOP elected leaders is bonkers.
Troy, I’m pretty sure that’s the same crazy anonymous person making up stuff. I wouldn’t hold my breath it’s going to happen.
The appearance of impropriety is not contrived and cannot be blamed on an anonymous poster.
Slice it or dice it all you want, and rail at the criticism, this looks wrong.
Anonymous/SDGOPer/Anonymous, are you going to pick a handle and stick with it?
Pat,
Until this anonymous poster had a candidate or make a case of why Pam is a poor choice, these comments are just sour grapes that he/she or one of his/her friends weren’t begged to be the Chair.
Whiners aren’t leaders or followers. They are just noise makers.
Today Governor Duagaard laid out a specific plan for keeping our highway infrastructure updated and intact by suggesting a yearly 2 cent increase in the State gas tax. Gutsy as Hell for an ultra conservative with two super majorities of conservative Republicans leading the SD House & Senate. Wanting to hear it with my own ears I made the trek to Pierre and listened to Gov. DD’s speech sitting in my old District 23 Mates seat. (Justin you are now in my will!). (Knee*£€~#%!!) Republicans and Democrats agreeing with the probability of this happening. This may in fact be better than indexing for the exponential increase in bridge repair has little to do with the cost of crude. That said the non-believers above who think somehow SD politics is corrupt, tell me how the son of two deaf parents and a guy who was raised in a single parent home can rise to the two most powerful positions in State Government??
It is amazing to me how vengeance infiltrates some writers here who cannot get a simple majority of our GOP party to agree with their deceptions.
Pam Roberts is a great choice for SDGOP Chairman – and Drake Olson for Vice-Chairman – – they both are dedicated Republicans and willing to give more of their personal time to the future of the party. Pam served as President of the South Dakota Federation of Republican Women in the early 90’s and had the women organized and active! We will be ready for the 2016 elections with this Leadership Team!!!
Many of us want drake to run for national committeeman. He would be a great choice to follow Dana Randall.
In previous years the governor’s office only announced the chair and central committee would choose the other seats.
Pam Roberts is married to our Son Clay Roberts, both grew up on SD. Ranches, and now own Ranches. If you grow up on a Ranch, Work and make decisions your Success depends on those Decisions. Drake Olson will be a great Vice Chairman. Lot of Bitching going on by the usual, get over it!
Pam is a superb choice.
The governor’s office should have reached out to voting members and informed them of who it would be though prior to making it public.
Dusty always did this and so should tony or kelcy or someone else. We all like Pam but it’s a simple courtesy to inform voting members and it’s also respectful.