I received this postcard in the mail yesterday… and well, ok. I know because I mailed it in my own race, the only other one on the primary ballot in Brookings besides President and State Senate:

I’ve entertained notions of sending one out before, since every single time I sign up to be a committeeman, I’m opposed by the same person. I’ve won every time, but I don’t want to take anything for granted.  Plus, since I represent one of the largest voting precincts in the state (3,529 voters, 1,369 Registered Republicans), it was also an opportunity for me to personally recommend the re-election of Larry Tidemann as State Senator.

Not that Doug Post is a bad person, but he hasn’t knocked on my door, or put one piece of literature in my mailbox. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen a sign for him in the entire precinct.  Which isn’t a good thing when this is the largest precinct in District 7. In other words, he hasn’t made any case of why I should vote for him, much less why he’s a better choice than Senator Tidemann who has been pretty good for Brookings.

Big congrats to my daughter Sydney who is currently attending Girls State in Vermillion this week. I believe she has been named as one of the “Party Chairs.” She also informs me that she was elected this afternoon to “President of the Senate.”

Sydney, who is coming up on the end of her term as State Vice Chair of the Teenage Republicans, was sent off to the annual citizenship education event (sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary) with my “Bernie is my Comrade” t-shirt.  (I’m sure that helped!)

Congrats, kid. And keep working on those scholarships!

This is actually the second time I’ve seen a South Dakota legislative candidate announce they had an abortion.

Last election it was Democrat candidate Ellee Spawn talking about having no regrets over having an abortion. This election, Tina Mulally has actually sent out a postcard talking about how she survived her abortion.  I’m not sure it’s any less cringeworthy.

I’m not sure how this announcement shows her in the eyes of the voters as being more competent and qualified than her opponent, Terri Haverly, who is also pro-life, or convinces voters they should choose her.

It strikes me as going past information about her position, into the realm of personal information I did not want, nor need.

Especially on the front of a postcard.

(And another postcard from Bemidji Minnesota, btw).

Pat Costello To Depart As GOED Commissioner

PIERRE, S.D. – Pat Costello will leave his position as Commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) at the end of this month, Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today. 

Costello, who has served as commissioner since Gov. Daugaard took office in 2011, is leaving for an opportunity in the private sector. His last day will be June 30, 2016.

“Pat has been an outstanding representative for South Dakota, and under his leadership, our state has added thousands of jobs and continued to be one of the best places in America for business,” said the Governor. “I sincerely thank him for his service and wish him the very best in the future.”

Costello is a businessman and, prior to serving in the Daugaard administration, spent four years on the Sioux Falls city council. In addition to serving as GOED commissioner, Costello has also served on the Governor’s Executive Committee.

“I’d like to thank the Governor for the opportunity to serve as GOED commissioner,” said Costello. “It has been a personally rewarding experience. I’m very proud of what the Governor and our team have accomplished, and I’ll always value the friendships across the state I’ve made.” 

Aaron Scheibe, GOED’s deputy commissioner, will serve as interim commissioner from July 1 until a new commissioner is named.

-30-

Just caught this at the Aberdeen American News where an Edmunds County Commissioner is proud to be white, but claims that he didn’t know what that darned racist symbol meant:

On May 22, Commissioner Wade Eisenbeisz shared a link that included a picture of a wheel cross, a symbol commonly used by white supremacy groups, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The words “White Pride World Wide” surrounded the cross.

and…

Eisenbeisz said his intent was to show that he was proud to be white and that he was unaware of what the wheel cross — a square cross surrounded by a circle — represented.

The funny thing is, you never see these guys active in the general election going after liberal Democrats. They go after Republicans who they might agree with 80% of the time, as opposed to those who agree with them 82% of the time.

A reader just sent me over a postcard for Taffy Howard for State House in District 33.  At least, I think it’s for Taffy Howard. Because the advertising on the front seems to highlight Lynne DiSanto.

Aside from the fact it’s mailing out of Bemidji, MN, a good rule of thumb is to design cards in mind that you might have 2-3 seconds between the time they pass from the mailbox to the garbage – so if that happens, what’s the one thing you want to communicate?   If it’s the front, you get Representative Lynne DiSanto. If it’s the other side, you get Taffy Howard for House.

 

Richard Mounce was nice enough to send me a piece he’s put out in District 30.  Nice looking piece of mail. Which is a good reminder – Good photography makes for good mail!

Keep those poctcards coming!

I haven’t seen anything from his competitor Doug Post in terms of door to door, campaign lit, etcetera, but State Senator Larry Tidemann had a piece that hit mailboxes yesterday across District 7. And it came with not one, but 2 nice endorsements:

Both outgoing State Representative Scott Munsterman and Governor Dennis Daugaard had positive statements for Tidemann’s leadership for Brookings.

That’s what’s in my mailbox. What are you all getting?

I didn’t see the beginning, and I wasn’t sure if it was a Nurse or what kind of staff member it was, but my wife said she thought she started out with a broom, as she sang through the brand new Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital commercial.

All I could think was that “no one was singing the last time my dad was there for prostate surgery.”

And…. “What ad company actually thought the singing janitor was a good idea?”