Tuesday marks the deadline for withdrawals. Prepare for the fall of the Democrat Placeholders!

Pat Powers

Tuesday, August 2nd marks the deadline for candidates to file papers with the Secretary of State to withdraw from the state legislative races. And as has typically happened in elections past, we’re watching the numbers rack up from the Democrat side of the aisle, as they have a tendency to stuff the ballot with people who never had any intention of running but they wanted someone in there in case they could find someone good.

Who has pulled out so far?

District Name/office Party Misc
4 Fred Deutsch – House R Replaced by John Mills
5 Alanna Silvis – House D No Replacement yet
5 David G. Johnson – Senate D No Replacement yet
9 Holly Boltjes – Senate D 3rd time as placeholder! No Replacement yet.
11 Mary Claus – House D No Replacement yet
12 Betsy Lang – House D No Replacement yet
13 Steve Westra – House R No Replacement yet
14 Tony Pier – House D Replaced by JR LaPlante
18 Matt Stone – Senate I No Replacement.
19 Ardon Wek – House D No Replacement yet
22 Chuck Groth – Senate D No Replacement yet
33 Stephen Eckrich* – House R Withdrew before primary, so we’re not counting him.

On the GOP Side, we have two, Deutsch and Westra who have withdrawn due to business reasons (as I’ve heard), one of whom (Deutsch) has already been replaced with an outstanding candidate, John Mills, and the other who will have a replacement in short order.

Picture 006Probably the biggest disappointment for Republicans is the withdrawal of Matt Stone as an Independent candidate for State Senate in Yankton. Matt was a pretty good GOP candidate, and ran a great race two years ago, and many think Stone would have been extremely competitive against Craig Kennedy in Yankton, instead of the uphill battle he fought against Bernie Hunhoff 2 years ago.

No word why he pulled out this time, but that action gave the race to Kennedy, marking it as an unexpected win in the D column.

(Update. I’m told he had a job opportunity that required he move out of the District. Too bad, as Matt was a good candidate.)

Speaking of the D Column, as of this weekend we have 8 placeholder dems who have withdrawn, with one of them having been replaced by what they’re terming as a “good” candidate, now that they found someone to run in their stead. But the bigger question is how many, and who will join their ranks of the displaced as the candidates scurry to GET OUT this weekend.

We should anticipate several more coming off the ballot, as word is there’s the typical number of placeholders this year.  With a ticket led by Hillary, Jay Williams, and Paula Hawks, there should be little wonder why their candidates are dropping like the proverbial flies. There’s no excitement, and the down ticket races see what’s coming their way – a malaise of substandard candidates who don’t inspire anyone.

In 2014, there were 14 placeholders on the Democrat side of the ticket that had to be replaced, and it looks like they might be on pace to meet that benchmark.

Stay tuned – they’re only going to continue to drop like flies.

US Senator John Thune: Not Even Team USA Can Outrun the Taxman

Pat Powers

thuneheadernew John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressNot Even Team USA Can Outrun the Taxman
By Sen. John Thune

In just a few short days, athletes from around the world, including South Dakota’s own Paige McPherson, will meet in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 2016 Olympic Games, followed shortly thereafter by the Paralympic Games. Ask any of these competitors and they will tell you that representing the red, white, and blue for this centuries-old tradition will mark the pinnacle in many of their athletic careers.

Becoming an Olympian doesn’t happen overnight. For many members of Team USA, it’s the culmination of years of relentless training and hard work, a significant financial commitment, and an immeasurable amount of sacrifice. It’s no understatement to say that for these high-performing athletes, the chance to compete for an Olympic medal on this world stage is an opportunity second to none.

While all members of Team USA will be celebrated by their friends, families, and communities, it’s the athletes who earn a medal at this year’s games who will be welcomed home with an extra dose of congratulations. There will be parades, parties, and celebrations of all kinds for those who fight hard and come home with gold, silver, or bronze in hand. It’s unfortunate that rather than focusing on these competitors and their success, the IRS will instead have its tax-collecting eyes focused squarely on the value of our athletes’ prizes.

Just when you thought everyone’s favorite federal government agency couldn’t do anything else that would shock you, many people will be surprised to learn that the IRS considers winning the Olympics or Paralympics as a taxable event. That’s right, the value of a competitor’s medal gets tacked onto his or her federal tax bill at the end of each year. I’ve long believed this tax on Olympic and Paralympic success is unfair, and I’m fighting to have it abolished.

The United States Appreciation for Olympians and Paralympians Act, a bipartisan bill I reintroduced earlier this year, would exempt the small cash incentive prizes received by winning athletes and the value of their Olympic or Paralympic medals from federal tax. Doing so is fair, common sense, and sends the right message to Team USA, both present and future.

Like our athletes in Brazil, my bill still faces a few hurdles. While it was approved in the Senate without a single dissenting vote, it has yet to be considered by my colleagues in the House, and it’s unlikely to become law before the Olympic torch is extinguished in Rio. That won’t stop me from working hard to get this bill across the finish line this year, which would be a responsible step toward showing our athletes how much our nation values their commitment to Olympic success.

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US Senator Mike Rounds’ Weekly Column: Drought Affecting South Dakota Farm and Ranch Operations

Pat Powers

Rounds Logo 2016 MikeRounds official SenateDrought Affecting South Dakota Farm and Ranch Operations
By Senator Mike Rounds

Agriculture in South Dakota accounts for more than half of our economic output each year, and is our state’s number one industry. We are one of the nation’s leading producers of sunflowers, corn, wheat and soybeans, and our farmers and ranchers work tirelessly to help feed and fuel a growing global population. Unfortunately, our ag producers have been hit hard this summer with abnormally dry conditions. Farmers across the state are struggling to keep their crops healthy.

According to the National Weather Service, parts of South Dakota are experiencing extreme drought conditions which will likely worsen or remain the same through the summer and into fall. For farmers and ranchers, this means water is limited for irrigation and livestock needs, hay production is at a standstill, and dry conditions are causing wildfires, particularly in the western part of the state.

Producers experiencing hardship due to the drought do have options available to them if they live in a county that has been designated as a primary or contiguous disaster area. To receive a disaster designation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has outlined a specific set of conditions: the county must meet a D2 “severe drought” intensity for eight consecutive weeks or more, as reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

So far in 2016, USDA has designated Meade, Lawrence, Harding, Butte, Custer and Pennington counties as primary disaster areas, and Butte, Haakon, Perkins, Ziebach, Custer, Jackson, Fall River and Shannon counties as contiguous disaster counties due to worsening drought conditions. This makes these counties eligible for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Farm and ranch operators seeking assistance in these counties should visit www.usda.gov, or the local FSA office, to find more information on the types of disaster assistance available.

This summer’s drought also underscores the importance of the federal crop insurance program. Crop insurance is an important safety net that provides South Dakota producers with much-needed certainty from Washington, D.C., when natural disasters strike. I opposed efforts to cut the important program during last year’s budget negotiations and worked with leadership to make sure the proposed cuts were restored. I will continue working to protect it in any upcoming discussions.

Unfortunately, we can’t control the weather. In South Dakota, our agricultural producers know to plan ahead for potential periods of drought and work to mitigate losses. We often have hot and dry weather conditions in the summer months, but this year’s drought has proven to be intense and ongoing. While western South Dakota is experiencing extreme drought conditions, the central and northeastern areas of South Dakota are having abnormally dry weather this summer as well.

The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center expects drought conditions to continue into October. If you are in an area of our state that has been seriously affected by the drought and need disaster assistance, please reach out to USDA or FSA. My office can also work to put you in touch with individuals at those agencies who can help. Don’t hesitate to reach out to one of my state offices for assistance.

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Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Finding Savings in Prevention

Pat Powers

noem press header kristi noem headshot May 21 2014Finding Savings in Prevention
By Rep. Kristi Noem

Earlier this summer, lightning struck Crow Peak in the Black Hills, setting about 2,700 acres of land on fire before it was contained. The blaze threatened the homes and ranch lands near its path as well as the lives of the firefighters working to fend off its flames.

Over the course of the last decade or so, wildfires across the country have grown larger and more dangerous. In 2015, a record-breaking 10.1 million acres burned, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In total, the fires took the lives of at least seven firefighters, severely damaged 4,500 homes, and cost approximately $2.6 billion.

Because of the way funding is allocated, the increased size and scope of fire fighting has drawn much-needed resources away from preventing these blazes altogether. I, along with many members on both sides of the aisle, would like to see this changed. More specifically, I’ve backed the bipartisan H.R.167, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. This legislation would help protect the resources we have to keep our forests healthy, thereby lowering the risk of costly wildfires. The most damaging fires would then be fought with emergency funding, just like other natural disasters are.

In the Black Hills, excessive drought and damaging pine beetles have only amplified the risk of wildfires. Not only is this a significant safety concern, but it also jeopardizes our state’s tourism and forestry industries – and the paychecks of the hundreds of South Dakotans employed in these industries.

A number of counties West River have already become eligible for emergency relief due to excessive drought. Even the small rains some counties have received have simply not been enough to prevent fires or quench dry ranch lands.

Years of pine beetle damage have also turned much of the Black Hills into a tinder box. An estimated 430,000 acres – or about one-third of the Black Hills National Forest – have been destroyed by pine beetles. Through provisions I helped write into the 2014 Farm Bill, we’ve been able to help cut through environmental red tape, get boots on the ground faster, and allow the Forest Service to work on a larger scale in many cases. So far, nearly one million acres of the Black Hills National Forest has benefited from these provisions, but more must still be done.

Through other efforts, we were also able to prioritize additional funding to help beat the beetle.

Simply put, it is much more cost-effective and significantly safer to prevent a wildfire than it is to fight one. Our funding allocations should reflect that.

We are fortunate to have so many dedicated foresters working in the Black Hills today, fighting to keep our forests healthy, preserving our landscape, and, when necessary, stepping in to protect homes, livestock and lives. I am incredibly grateful for their efforts and humbled by the risks they take.

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Governor Daugaard’s Weekly Column: The 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Pat Powers

daugaardheader DaugaardThe 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

It’s almost rally time in South Dakota. What started in 1938 as a single motorcycle race in a small town has grown into one of the largest and best-known motorcycle gatherings in the world. This year is the 76th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and though we don’t expect the numbers will approach the levels we saw last year, the rally is sure to be well-attended.

Motorcycle enthusiasts won’t just be visiting Sturgis. They will be traveling all around the Black Hills – staying in our local hotels and at our campgrounds, eating in our local restaurants, shopping in our local stores and refueling at our gas stations. Each year the rally has a big economic impact on Sturgis and all of the Black Hills, and that creates benefits for our state too.

An event this size is not without its challenges. To help things go smoothly, the state will create a Rally Operations Center and a Traffic Operations Center. Local law enforcement, the Highway Patrol and ambulance services will have additional personnel working during the rally.

Many state agencies will provide additional staff to support food safety, drinking water safety, fire safety, roadway safety, emergency communications, and vendor sales tax registrations and collections. National Guard soldiers will also be prepared in the event they are needed to respond to a large-scale disaster

For the past 75 years, we’ve had no major emergency at the Sturgis Rally. Our goal is to get through the 76th rally with that record intact, but we need help.

We’re asking South Dakotans to do their part to help make this a safe journey for our visitors. Drive carefully and be particularly mindful of the motorcycles on the road. It only takes one mistake to alter your life and someone else’s forever. If you live in the Black Hills area, plan extra time to reach your destinations, and be patient with law enforcement and emergency responders. If something doesn’t look right – maybe how someone is taking photos of government buildings or measuring distances between buildings – let law enforcement know.  If you see something, say something.

For those who are attending the rally, be careful and be prepared. Wear a helmet and proper riding attire. If you are driving a vehicle, wear your seatbelt. Most importantly, don’t drink and drive.

Riders can visit SouthDakotaRides.com for real-time information and some helpful tips. On the website there are links to weather updates, fire danger information, Twitter feeds from the departments of Transportation and Public Safety, and a map of hospital, urgent care and police station locations.

One of government’s primary functions is to keep people safe. The state of South Dakota is ready to perform that responsibility and we welcome the opportunity to host so many visitors in our great state. If South Dakotans and our visitors do their part, it will go a long way toward helping make the 76th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally a safe and fun event.

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In the District 13 House Race – Alex Jensen strong possibility to return to House race.

Pat Powers

Here’s some interesting scuttlebutt that’s coming across in the Steve Westra District 13 withdrawal. It sounds as if that State Representative Alex Jensen may have the blessings of good timing for a return to the ballot box.

Alelx PortraitJensen had looked at running in the D13 Senate race, but given that he was in the middle of getting married, and moving, etcetera, he thought is would be best to take a step back, especially given that Jack Kolbeck was also a good candidate for the office.

Fast forward several months. There was no need for a primary, and Jensen is now a married man, albeit, one who is not running for office. And Steve Westra, a man who has a house seat in the district in which Jensen now resides, has now decided to take a step back.

As one door closed earlier this year for Jensen in making a decision to not run for the State Senate, it appears that another one may have just opened in the same district, just in the House.

Having served on the appropriations committee, Jensen has a good handle on the State’s finances, and a good working knowledge of the process, likely better than that of most other contenders for the seat.  He’s got good connections to the Sioux Falls business community, and is visible as a local Realtor.

And more importantly, Jensen is a tremendous campaigner and fundraiser, which counts for a lot when it comes to winning the seat. Last election, as a new candidate who had not run for anything, he raised in the neighborhood of $30k. Now with a couple of years under his belt, he would have no trouble fending off any Democrat effort in the district with the open seat at hand.

There may be others who step into the race to replace Westra, but they would be hard pressed to bring what Jensen has to the table in terms of name ID, fundraising, and campaigning.

Watch for the replacement to be held sometime next week or shortly thereafter. And as far as I’m concerned, my bet is on Jensen for the win.

Westra withdrawing from State Rep. Race.

Pat Powers

Steve Westra, who by all accounts was going to be the next House majority leader, has decided to take a pass this election:

Rep. Steve Westra, R-Sioux Falls, withdrew his candidacy this week and told party leaders he didn’t plan to return to Pierre. His decision leaves an opening for another Republican to become House Majority Leader following Rep. Brian Gosch’s exit from the Legislature.

and…

(Minnehaha County GOP Chair Dave) Roetman said he was saddened to see Westra leave the Legislature, but confident the party would find a candidate to fill his spot.

“I like Steve Westra personally and in leadership, he did a great job of representing the Republican party,” Roetman said Friday morning.

Read it all here.

Whomever is appointed to take Westra’s ballot position should have little trouble winning in this very Republican District.   However, it is sad to see Steve leaving. We wish him well in his future endeavors.

As noted, this also opens up the Majority Leadership position. I was discussing this with a friend & legislator this morning who personally saw this as an opportunity for Larry Rhoden, who had formerly been Majority Leader to step back in and fill the void. (They also noted they believe State Rep Kent Peterson may be a candidate for Assistant.)

Just like when the Senate had a big turnover before the last election, this will mean the incoming speaker, Mark Mickelson, will be playing an even more significant role as the voice of experience.

Never a dull moment.

“You just can’t make this stuff up.” (US Sen. Elizabeth Warren yesterday in an interview)

Troy Jones

Preface:  For many years, everytime George Brett came to bat (whether the Royals were playing the Twins or not), in the moment, I cringed and expressed how I didn’t “like him.”  But, when I looked at the box score and his stats over the course of the season, I had to always admit the guy could hit and was a heck of a baseball player.  No matter the pitcher’s strength (fastball, curve, slider, etc.), Brett had a strategy to take that strength away and augment the pitcher’s weakness.

So it is with Trump.   Hyperbolically, it seems 9 out of 10 times Trump opens his mouth, I cringe and often times disagree with him.  But, when I look at the “boxscore,” I have to admit the guy knows how to play to HIS strength and make the other side play to their weakness.  Like Brett, sometimes I just have to grudgingly give Trump the respect he earns by the results.

I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.  A FEW DAYS AGO, TRUMP TOOK A BIG SWING AND MISSED, DARING THE DEMOCRATS TO RESPOND IN A PARTICULAR WAY.  AND, DANG IF THEY DIDN’T THROW A FASTBALL DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLATE AND TRUMP HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK.  Yesterday on my drive home, I had on MSBC radio on to hear what they were saying about the Democratic Convention.  Rachel Maddow was having a conversation with Senator Warren (wasn’t really an interview).  Anyway, Maddow throws what she intended to be a softball to Warren about Trump’s call for Russia to release (if they have them) the 30,000 personal (not turned over to the government) emails from Clinton’s personal email server.

A)  Warren goes off on it is treasonous to for Trump to ask a foreign country to hack a high ranking government officials computer because of the risk to national security.  

  1. The server is in the hands of the FBI and can’t be hacked any more.  If they have the emails, Russia already committed the crime and wouldn’t it be better off knowing they have the information?
  2. I thought the emails were only about Clinton’s appointment with her hair stylists, emails to her daughter about her grandchild, and to her husband.  According to Hillary, there is nothing on those emails which are a risk to national security.  But, to Senator Warren they are a risk to national security.  What does she know that we don’t know?

B)  Warren goes off on the illegality to ask Russia to directly influence our sovereign election.  Ummmmm, It is against both US and Israeli law for the US government to influence an Israeli election.  Where was Senator Warren’s outrage when both Obama campaign funds and State Department funds were used to try to defeat Netanyahu in last year’s Israeli election?

However, I admit it is the nature of politics for one side to tactically respond to the tactics of one’s opponent.  And, in a vacuum, Warren’s response could be characterized as “par for the course” and not surprising.

But, the standard tactical response must contemplate the larger strategy, which for the Democrats is to address Hillary Clinton’s high unfavorable rating with the public (which at its core is Hillary is not considered trustworthy).  And the two biggest factors working against Clinton is her lack of forthrightness on her own personal email problem and most recently the revelation from emails that the Democratic National Committee didn’t follow its own rules of neutrality in the Clinton-Sanders primary (resulting in Hillary lapdog leaving her “neutral” position as head of the DNC directly to the Clinton campaign).

Strategically, ANY discussion of emails, foreign hacking, etc. feeds the Trump narrative.  The Democrats took Trump’s bait “hook, line and sinker.”  In addition to Warren, nearly every speaker yesterday RESPONDED to Trump which had the effect of reminding people about the emails, enhancing Trump’s gravitas, and making Hillary look small.

What is the major news story in the major papers and on the news channels?  Not a narrative from the Convention on how Clinton presidency would be good for Americans but emails and treason.  I’m not sure Trump could have gotten a better result if he had written the script himself.  Warren is right.  You just can’t make this stuff up.  

Bonus News Item #1:  President Obama’s speech was essentially a plea for Democrats to come together to preserve the work and legacy of his Presidency even if Democrats don’t want to do it for Hillary.  It was a glaring admission of how small Hillary is on her own.  Contrary to Hillary who openly admits she NEEDS Obama, Sanders, et. al., Trump has made it clear he doesn’t need the endorsement of Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, or anyone else to win this election.  He is willing to stand on his own. Warren is right.  You just can’t make this stuff up.  

Bonus News Item #2:  When the ink isn’t even dry on his endorsement of Hillary at the Democratic Convention, Bernie Sanders announced he is leaving the Democratic Party and returning to his historical Independent Socialist (caucusing with the Senate Democrats).  Bernie’s decision/announcement before the Convention even closes will be seen by many of his supporters as a signal Hillary and the Democratic Party didn’t move enough and their home is not here.  Warren is right.  You just can’t make this stuff up.