Was chatting with a candidate the other day, and they’d asked if I had been sent a copy of the Minnehaha County GOP candidate survey.
What? Yes, they actually appear to have sent out a “Candidate Platform Questionnaire,” demanding their answers on a various number of topics. All I could think was “who came up with the goofy b.s.?” Because it would seem they’re looking for an excuse – as the Minnehaha County Republican Party to not support Republican candidates:
Candidate Platform Questionnaire
Minnehaha County Republican Party
Please begin each response with a direct statement of your position, followed by an explanation of no more than 150 words. Clearly identify any exceptions or circumstances that could affect how you would vote.
1. Parental Rights and Local Control of Education
Do you believe parents should have the primary authority over their children’s education, including curriculum, instructional materials, assessments, and school accommodations? Please explain where you believe the authority of parents, local school boards, and the state government should begin and end.
2. Property Rights
Under what circumstances, if any, should government be permitted to take private property through eminent domain or restrict an owner’s use of their property? Please explain how you would vote on legislation involving eminent domain for private economic-development, and describe the due-process protections you believe property owners must receive.
3. Sanctity of Human Life
When do you believe human life begins, and what responsibility does government have to protect unborn children, the elderly, the elderly, and people with disabilities? Please state any exceptions you support concerning abortion or assisted suicide and explain how you would vote on legislation addressing those issues.
4. Lower Taxes and Limited Government Spending
Under what circumstances, if any, would you vote to increase a tax, fee or government spending ?
Explain how you would control government spending, prioritize essential government functions, and eliminate unnecessary spending.
5. Traditional Family Policies
What responsibility, if any, should state government have in promoting marriage, family stability and the rights and responsibilities of parents ? Please explain any policies you would support or oppose concerning marriage, parental authority, and the protection of children.
6. Election of Constitutional Officers
Would you support or oppose legislation to move the nominations of Attorney General and Secretary of State from the convention to the June primary ?
Please provide your reason(s) for supporting or opposing such legislation.
7. Constitutional Amendments
What are your thoughts on Amendment L which would require any proposed constitutional change to achieve a 60% support level from the voters in the general election ?
8. 4th amendment and Right to Privacy
Do you support or oppose the use of taxpayer money to install and maintain Automatic License Plate Reading equipment (aka “Flock cameras”)?
Please provide your reasons for supporting or opposing these cameraa.
SDGOP Platform (for reference)
https://www.sdgop.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-2024-South-Dakota-Republican-Party-Platform.pdf
I like how they can’t even manage to reference the current platform from 2026.
The point is that once again, there are those self-anointed self-important people in the GOP who are demanding purity tests to see if the candidates still hold their virgini…. er, if they are sufficiently virtuous and Republican enough to be deserving of the party’s support. The thing is – THE PARTY’S JOB IS NOT TO APPLY PURITY TESTS. It is get Republicans elected. Period. It’s like someone decided to form an HOA or Condominium Board for Republicans. Because they don’t want people with different views to call themselves Republican. Heaven forbid. They often quote Reagan and say that the person who agrees with you 80% of the time is not your enemy. But how quickly that’s forgotten once they get in a room.
Why do I think that the same people are the ones who are howling when people express they won’t be supporting election conspiracist Heather Baxter to become the next Secretary of State. They want people to blindly support the Republican ticket, but at the same time they’re looking for excuses to not support them. Of course, this is the same Republican party group represented on the State Party’s Executive Board by Tom Pischke, who is going on trial for election fraud. So you’ll have to pardon me if I don’t think that their purity test makes the grade.
The signs of light in Minnehaha County for Republican voters?
There are thoughtful people in the GOP down there. I was taping Dakota Town hall yesterday, and held out Taylor Rehfeldt and Ryan Budmayr who formed the Republican Roundtable, which meets monthly. They bring like-minded Republicans together for common goals and to network with community leaders. They’re there to get things done. Which is a breath of fresh air.
No judgement or purity tests required.
**Update**
I just heard from another candidate. Lincoln County GOP is doing the survey thing too.
And they wonder why there are other Republican groups/PACs raising more money and actually supporting candidates.
It’s time to get rid of the precinct committee positions and time for the state and county GOPs to do their job. County parties support their candidates on the general, period. The state party supports the statewide candidates in the general.
Both entities are run by incompetent people with their own personal agenda. There is no coordination or unity.
It’s ridiculous and hypocritical. They have forgotten why the party exists to begin with. If they want to focus on issues instead of candidates, maybe their legal political party status should be revoked and they should be treated as a political PAC just like Right to Life and Family Voice. At bare minimum, all constitutionals should be removed from convention and put into the primary.
Very well said. Plus, the concept of dumbing down ( err… condensing) complex issues to 150 words reveals why our politics have become sound bite toxic and why so many elected officials can’t seem to deploy an ounce of critical thinking and discernment.