The Dakota Scout has a story this evening describing detailing a night-before attack that 2% gubernatorial wannabe Rep. Jon Hansen is making against Governor Larry Rhoden’s prison reset that will be heard in special session tomorrow as everyone comes to Pierre to try to move forward on one of the largest building projects in South Dakota state government history:

South Dakota’s Speaker of the House says he will not support a proposal for a new prison after discovering the Department of Corrections is paying a gender dysphoria consultant to assess if state inmates are transgender.

But Gov. Larry Rhoden says while he agrees with his potential rival in the 2026 GOP primary race, his hands are tied until the federal courts make a ruling on a Trump-order ban on correctional inmates transitioning to genders not aligned with their legal sex while in custody.

and..

“The State has never paid for transgender surgeries, and I don’t think we should ever spend a dime on these types of treatments,” he (Governor Rhoden) said, also referencing aggressive outreach his office has been conducting with lawmakers ahead of the special session. “We have been talking directly to candidate Hansen for more than than two weeks and are answering his questions, and I appreciate Hansen’s support for my position.”

Read the entire story here at Dakota Scout.

So, Hansen has known for weeks that the state is stuck paying for this kind of consultant until a ruling by federal courts.. yet waits until the day before the special session in a very public self-serving “October Surprise” in an attempt to drop a figurative nuclear bomb on the prison reset project that everyone – including himself – have been working on for months?  Sorry, but it’s just underlining why he has no business being in elective office.

Because instead of looking towards how to best serve the citizens of South Dakota, or, acting in a palms-up manner, he intentionally uses something he’s known for weeks to launch a fairly slimy sneak attack where everyone had been working together in good faith.

At least, everyone but Hansen.

The state’s corrections system had been stuck paying for something they didn’t want to until a court makes a decision? Well, welcome to governing where sometimes the best you can do is to pick the least worst of bad options, until you can find a better solution.  Which according to what I read was what the state was doing.

The big question is how far Hansen thinks we need to kick the can down the road, so we can cost taxpayers even more?  Because if that’s what happens, he should be proud of what he has accomplished. Because he can take the blame for every cent more of taxpayer funds that the project will cost.

Gov. Rhoden Supports Reconsideration of Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards

PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to support the EPA’s Reconsideration of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards. You can find the letter here.

“Thank you for your leadership on the Reconsideration of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards,” wrote Governor Larry Rhoden. “Your action will restore consumer choice and give the American people, including my neighbors here in South Dakota, the opportunity to purchase the best vehicle for their individual needs, regardless of its energy source.”

According to the EPA, the 2009 Endangerment Finding has been used to justify over one trillion dollars in regulations on the American people, including former President Biden’s electric vehicle mandate. If finalized, Administrator Zeldin’s proposal would repeal all resulting greenhouse gas emission regulations for motor vehicles and engines, reinstating consumer choice.

“Americans are already burdened with red tape and should not be subject to higher costs as a result of flawed regulations,” continued Governor Larry Rhoden. “This action will help keep prices down so that we can keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.”

South Dakota has the second fewest regulations of any state in America and stands as an example that limited regulation and cutting red tape can unleash economic prosperity.

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In case you’re tracking candidate events, Marty Jackley’s campaign for Congress is having an event after the special session tomorrow in Pierre, with a number of statewide officials hosting including Brock Greenfield, Rich Sattgast, & Josh Haeder, as well as former officials Roger Tellinghuisen, Shantel Krebs, & Steve Barnett.

(From Facebook)

Official Statement from Representative Peri Pourier
September 22, 2025

A Strategic Shift in Party Affiliation — and an Unwavering Commitment to Community

I have formally changed my voter registration from Democrat to Republican. My name will now appear with an (R) designation. I recognize this decision may spark questions, assumptions, and criticism. Change is always difficult, but when change comes it is always necessary. Here is some broader context for your consideration – Remember context changes everything.

I represent communities where hardship is not theoretical — it is lived daily, passed down through generations. Our elders and our children endure conditions that defy the promises of the Constitution. Basic rights and protections that many Americans take for granted remain out of reach in Indian Country. Addiction, violence, and unresolved tragedies persist. Families grieve the loss of children to suicide, homicide, and disappearance. Public safety and the rule of law — foundations of a functioning society — are breaking down, and with them, any pathway toward sustainable prosperity.

Meanwhile, the national political landscape has shifted dramatically. Federal policy is changing course, and local, state, and tribal governments are facing the consequences. Leaders who fail to adapt will leave their communities vulnerable. I refuse to be passive. I will not wait for permission to protect our children, our elders, and our homelands. I will be present where decisions are made — to ensure our voices are not just heard but prioritized.

The core tenets of the Republican Party — decentralized government, self-determination, economic prosperity, lower energy costs, and robust public safety — align with the principle of tribal sovereignty. By contrast, well-intentioned Democratic reforms have too often undermined sovereignty. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 forced a one-size-fits-all model of governance that disregarded traditional systems and tied federal funding to this imposed framework. What was presented as empowerment ultimately diminished nationhood and reinforced federal control – depilating any hope of self-sufficiency. The long-term consequences of such federal policy failures are still felt on the Pine Ridge Reservation today.

I have spent my career advocating for change, and I remain steadfast in that mission. But to meet the urgency of this moment, adaptation is not optional — it is imperative.

This is not about partisan loyalty. It is about loyalty to the people. My decision reflects a strategic recalibration — one that strengthens my ability to advocate for our communities and deliver meaningful results. I will not explain away poverty and violence with rhetoric. I remain committed to confronting these issues directly — not someday, not when it becomes politically convenient, but now.

With resolve and respect,

Rep. Peri Pourier
South Dakota State House of Representatives
District 27

From Facebook:

And there is an official announcement as well…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

South Dakota State Representative Heather Baxter Announces Candidacy for South Dakota Secretary of State

Heather Baxter, a Christian conservative republican legislator and avid advocate of election reform, proudly announces her candidacy for South Dakota Secretary of State. Running on a platform of returning elections to the people, Baxter is committed to restoring truth, transparency, and trust in South Dakota’s electoral process, aligning her vision with President Trump’s platform on election integrity.

“Our elections must reflect the will of the people,” Baxter stated. “As Secretary of State, I will bring fresh leadership to the fight for accessibility, accountability, and security to ensure every South Dakotan’s voice is heard and every vote is counted publicly and accurately.”

Baxter’s platform focuses on restoring public trust and faith in the electoral process by making elections secure again through implementing President Donald J. Trump’s election initiatives detailed in his Executive Order on Securing American Elections. Further, she promises improved customer service, promoting civic engagement, and DOGE initiatives for all Secretary of State areas of responsibility.  She pledges to implement common-sense reforms that cut burdensome processes and fees while making all office services clear and accessible for all.

Heather Baxter invites South Dakotans to join her campaign to restore our Republic by ensuring elections truly belong to the people. Together, we can Make Elections Secure Again.

For more information about Heather Baxter’s campaign or to get involved, visit

Website: www.baxterforsos.com

Well.. I guess we know who’s running now on the wackadoodle ticket now that Leah Anderson has dropped out of the race…

South Dakota Democrats have filed their FEC Report for September 2025. And in case you were wondering, they had individual donors, at the same time the SDGOP did not.

SDDP Sept 2025 FEC by Pat Powers

Democrats added $33,915.67 to the $58,603.68 cash they had on hand from last month, against expenditures of $39,713.11. Leaving them only $5k down for their big state dinner expenses and salaries.   I believe this was the month with all the expenses from the event

But unlike the SDGOP, what they did report are active donors – about 39 pages of them.  A feat their former member who is in charge of the Republican party seems unable to inspire. Unfortunately, our 32-year former Democrat Jim Eschenbaum was not one of the good ones. (Maybe we can trade him in, and hope we can do better with a different Democrat?)

Well, we’ll see how the October reports look.  Stay tuned.

Some new PAC that no one can find identifying information for is suddenly announcing a Charlie Kirk remembrance via text blast today in the Aberdeen area.

Hm. That’s sudden and I haven’t seen a lot of churches announce services via text blast. Who else uses that text blast method almost weekly? 

And what’s this service all about?    Well, I was sent the program from a source. And it appears that the reflection is coming from Toby Doeden, and no other elected officials or politicians seems to be participating?  Imagine that.

Maybe it’s just cynical me, but why do I think there the church photographer will be there to document Doeden at the podium/pulpit (again)?  What was that quote I used last time?

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.“

– Matthew 6:5

From Coast to Coast
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
September 19, 2025

BIG Update

This week, the application opened for states to apply for assistance from the Rural Health Transformation Fund. These dollars are the largest single investment in rural health care in history. It provides $50 billion for workforce development, incentives for innovative care and technology, and ensures sustainable health care access for rural South Dakotans.

BIG Idea

All Americans depend on strong ocean shipping supply chains to buy and sell the products that fuel their lives—from groceries to energy sources to clothes and Christmas presents. I know how vital this shipping method is, especially for South Dakotans who export their crops. I’m leading the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Reauthorization Act to improve and strengthen our supply chain and down on China’s anticompetitive business trade practices.

The FMC Reauthorization Act passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with bipartisan support, and I look forward to seeing it pass the House soon, so American imports and exports compete on a level playing field.

 Click here or the image above to watch Johnson’s remarks

BIG News

The Constitution grants Congress legislative authority to oversee Washington, D.C. After years of violent crime, the House voted to strengthen law enforcement measures in the nation’s capital. Currently, under Washington, D.C. laws, a juvenile is defined as anyone under the age of 25. This means a 24-year-old accused of carjacking could be tried as a juvenile. I voted to change the juvenile age to 18.

I also supported legislation to restore the ability of D.C. police officers to protect their communities. Current D.C. Council regulations require officers to meet 14 different factors before allowing the vehicular pursuit of a fleeing suspect in a motor vehicle. The bill I supported would put that decision back in the hands of law enforcement. It’s time D.C. lets officers do their jobs.

Soft-on-crime policies protect repeat criminal offenders. I’m working to make our communities safer for everyone.

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A Secure Southern Border
By Sen. John Thune

Things look very different at the southern border these days than they did last year. President Trump wasted no time ending the chaos he inherited. Illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border have dropped precipitously, falling as low as 7,832 migrants in July. Border Patrol agents are on the line enforcing our laws; the wall is being built; and criminal illegal aliens are being arrested, detained, and deported.

Compare that to the southern border under President Biden. Customs and Border Protection was encountering more than 100,000 illegal immigrants per month – and sometimes many more. Many of those individuals were ultimately allowed to take up residence in the United States. Border communities, and even places far from the border, were overwhelmed by the influx of illegal immigrants.

Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector is emblematic of the progress that’s been made under President Trump. The sector chief there says they currently see about 40 to 50 people crossing per day, compared to 2,700 per day not long ago. The number of known gotaways – illegal immigrants who Border Patrol saw but was unable to apprehend – has fallen to nine per day. It was 400 per day last summer. And one has to wonder how dangerous some of these individuals were who were avoiding law enforcement, considering that a lot of illegal immigrants – encouraged by catch-and-release policies – actually sought out Border Patrol during the Biden years.

Today, the situation at the southern border has been turned around. We’ve made an incredible amount of progress, and we need to sustain that progress for the long term. That’s why Republicans made a generational investment in border security this summer. We provided funding to finish the border wall, hire more Border Patrol and ICE agents, and expand detention space and deportation capacity. We also provided funding to hire more immigration judges to address the massive backlog in immigration cases. All of these resources will help to secure the gains we’ve made and maintain the security of America’s borders.

The chaos at the southern border under the Biden administration was a danger to everyone. Open border policies were an invitation to criminals, terrorists, and other dangerous individuals to enter our country. It placed an incredible burden on Border Patrol agents to deal with the influx. And it put illegal immigrants at the mercy of human smugglers and the cartels, who profited off of the open southern border.

We have a responsibility to keep America safe, and that starts with security at our borders. President Trump takes that responsibility seriously. He acted swiftly to end the chaos and restore order. And Congress has acted to support that mission and make the success we’ve seen these last few months the new normal. That work continues, and I’m grateful to the men and women on the front lines carrying out the important work of enforcing the law and keeping America safe.

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Investing in Public Safety
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
September 20, 2025

Government isn’t very good at solving problems. You might find that rich coming from someone who’s served in public office for 20 plus years, but it’s true – it isn’t government that solves our problems. Even when bills get passed by the Legislature, it’s citizen legislators – elected by their neighbors – who come to Pierre for a short amount of time, do the people’s work, then go home and live with the new laws that they passed.

On the other hand, there are a few problems that are absolutely government’s problem to solve. And in those situations, we should do so to the absolute best of our ability. Public safety is top of that list.

At the state level, one aspect of keeping our communities safe has been in the headlines a lot lately: the state prison. We are on the cusp of passing a new facility – but will be far more than just a prison. It’s an investment in the next 100 years of public safety in South Dakota.

For that reason, all of South Dakota’s major law enforcement associations and Attorney General Jackley are fully onboard with building this new facility.

If we get this done, we can immediately get to work constructing a facility that is far safer. For starters, it won’t be crumbling like the current “Hill” in Sioux Falls. Even the design and layout of the facility will be a tremendous enhancement in safety for both staff and inmates. We aren’t cutting corners on sturdiness and security.

Perhaps more importantly, the new facility will quadruple the amount of space that we have available for programming. This will include vocational training, behavioral and drug counseling, faith-based rehabilitation, and Native American-focused programs – all aimed at making sure that inmates can reenter society better able to contribute, to care for their families, and to embody the values that make South Dakota great.

Over the next several years as construction moves forward, we’ll have the opportunity to focus on programming. Following the passage of the new prison, I’ll be forming a Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force that will focus on expanding programs that work and diving into other opportunities to do impactful rehabilitation.

Legislators deserve major credit for working to get this plan put together – so does my Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen and all the professionals who worked with the prison task force. I’m also grateful for the contractors who are swallowing additional risk to guarantee that South Dakota taxpayers won’t pay a penny more than $650 million for this facility. This plan strikes the right balance between public safety and fiscal responsibility. And once we have it accomplished, we are going to be creating a real impact of the public safety of South Dakotans for decades – up to 100 years.

This is the right plan. This is the right approach to deliver public safety for South Dakotans – and to do so to the very best of our ability. Time to get it done!

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