In the 2024 elections, House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach participated heavily in supporting the people he wanted, and defeating the ones he did not want in the Republican House caucus the following year. According to the campaign finance report his committee filed recently, it appears that he’s similarly building up cash to do so again in the 2026 elections:
Liberty Tree Pac 2025 SDCF Disclosure by Pat Powers
Odenbach’s report notes over $13k in income over the course of 2025, including a whopping $10,000 from former State Representative John Mills, among other donations, including a donation for $500 from former Dakota Scout reporter Austin Goss. (Just wondering.. do all the Dakota Scout reporters donate to GOP Leadership?)
Also interesting in this report. Odenbach’s PAC participated in opposing the Liberty Land project, and notes that it was was a big $1000 donor to Taffy Howard’s No Free Rides group, kicking in $1000 to stop the development project in Rapid City.
I’m sure the report is just the start to Odenbach’s fundraising for 2026.
Stay Tuned.
The last 2 years has proven that pumping money to candidates does not build consensus. It gives me hope and trust that most of our State Legislators are not bound by money and blind loyalty. HB 1103, which was not thought out well, was a case study on this.
Odenbach would be a great AG or Governor.
Unless he’s been a prosecutor (which I don’t recall he has) AG is a silly notion. It’s Hansen’s same dilemma. Our best AG’s have been prosecuting attorneys. It’s a basic qualification.
Hilger in NE wasn’t a prosecutor before running. Odenbach is a stud. He’d be great at whatever he does..
Me reckons Phil J
It’s worth noting that 91% of the ending balance came from his uncle. It’s good to have rich relatives- seriously, I imagine it is
Wait is John Mills Scott Odenbach’s uncle? Not sure how I missed that
Me reckons Phil J won’t be getting any envelopes with them Liberty PAC dollars this go around?
You’re implying an ethical conflict that the timeline simply does not support. I was no longer employed at The Dakota Scout when that donation occurred, I was on active military duty, well after leaving The Scout.
This is far from the first time, Pat, that you’ve leaned on suggestion instead of verification. It’s a tactic — and a transparent one. Enjoy your basement.
Brother, who cares when the donation was? Why do you support Scott?
Happy to answer — because he’s based.
on carbon as a life form?
👍 hope your back soon Austin
I thought Goss liked jokes.
Those are rookie numbers.
The cluster of confusion that continues to grow everyday in this year’s legislature is all on the incapable candidates Scott supported in the last election. Let the walls crumble around him and his inability to lead. Make sure to support good candidates in this year’s primary election and begin to correct the problem that 11 percent of the voters dropped on us!
Your dire implications and deep worries from following this cash around, do truly give me the vapors, they do they do