Minnehaha County GOP: Candidates don’t seem to be as important as ballot measures. Zero funding a few, $110 donations to others.

Looks like the Minnehaha County GOP of 2024 is the State Democrat Party of 2006 or 2008. Because both spend more time worrying about ballot measures than the thing they’re actually supposed to be there for. After quite a bit of waiting, their campaign finance pre-general report has finally been posted. And aside from it being a mess, the picture it does paint is a that the State’s Largest County Republican Party really doesn’t seem to give a flying fig about candidates – the very reason they’re supposed to exist.

Minnehaha County GOP Disclosure by Pat Powers on Scribd

Under income, it starts by painting a bleak picture..

Which gets a little better when you get to the “other income.” But, someone explain to me how it’s allowable to say you took in over $36,000 from an event (Over 21K in expenses for it, BTW) without disclosing the source, and just lumping it all together in a mish-mash?

But I digress.. They raised some cash, and did so at great expense (about 55% of every dollar raised via an event). So, what did South Dakota’s largest county GOP organization do with all this money they raised? Well, they really didn’t do much:

First and foremost at the Minnehaha County GOP’s donation list were Vote No on H ($500), The Life Defense Fund ($750) and $1000 to the SD Property rights and Local Control Alliance – a group who’s cause is not even endorsed by the Republican Party. And they threw in $950 to the Free-dumb Caucus PAC.

And only then did they think of why they’re there, to support & take care of candidates. And in some cases their contribution to the efforts were in silly amounts.

Tony Kayser (D14) and Joni Tschetter (D15) both received a respectable $1000. Bethany Soye (D9) got a check for $750, and Brenda Lawrence (D15) received $700. Tesa Schwans (D9) $500. Chris Karr (D11) $450. And then the downhill slope picks up.

The two most competitive races in Sioux Falls were supported with $200 for Larry Zikmund (D14) and $175 for Arch Beal (D12). Another contested race – Sue Peterson in D13 got a whopping $130. Don’t think I would have given Brad Lindwurm (D15) or Bobbi Andera (D10) $250, but they fared batter than Greg Jamison (D12) who received $125. Tom Pischke who doesn’t have a general got a check for $199.50, and came out almost even with Keri Weems and Brian Mulder (D11) added together – who both have a race, but only saw a $110 donation each from the Minnehaha County GOP.

Who got stiffed by the Minnehaha GOP? No help to Amber Arlint (D12) or Assistant Majority Leader Taylor Rehfeldt (D14), despite the fact Minnehaha County donated to their running mates.

It’s like they’re not taking a thoughtful approach to anything, and just running things in a thoughtless or haphazard manner making significant donations to the candidates and causes they like, and telling Weems and Mulder that here’s their obligatory check, when they wouldn’t even go that far for Arlint or Rehfeldt. As big of a dipstick as he is, I don’t notice Cole Heisey on that list, nor do I see Dean Karsky – Minnehaha County candidates who both have a fall contest. (Apparently county races don’t count).

The conclusion that we can draw from looking at Minnehaha’s campaign finance report? Candidates don’t seem to be as important as ballot measures. Zero funding a few, $110 donations to others.

The only remaining question I have?