An observant reader just called to give me the heads up.

If you recall the kerfuffle this week over the negative postcard (left) that the Prairie Country PAC had sent to about 2500 households on Stace Nelson’s behalf in District 19; the facebook post from the page of Prairie Country PAC about the card, which had been shared by both they and Stace Nelson, has simply…. ceased to exist.

It’s not just gone, it’s scrubbed, as images of the postcard are removed from even the photo bank of the PAC’s facebook page.

By all indications and feedback, there’s a lot of people out there mad about the postcard. One legislator friendly with Nelson noted it as “unnecessary.” And there are others whose feelings are closer to outrage.

Clearly, it was yanked down for a reason.

Could this be one of those campaign pieces that was just “too much,” made people gasp, and generated the opposite effect of galvanizing support for Nelson?

Your thoughts?

Gov. Daugaard Appoints Adam to Board of Regents

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today that he will appoint Conrad Adam of Pierre to the South Dakota Board of Regents.

Adam will serve as the student member of the Board of Regents. He is entering his junior year at the University of South Dakota, where he is majoring in finance.

“Conrad Adam will be an excellent representative of the student perspective on the board,” said the Governor.  “He is an impressive young man, and I appreciate his willingness to take on this role.”

“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Daugaard as student regent,” Adam said.  “I look forward to advocating on behalf of students in our state university system.”

The South Dakota Board of Regents is the state governing board for the six state universities and two special schools.  The student member is one of the board’s nine members and is a full voting member of the board.

Adam will succeed Joseph Schartz, who concluded three years of service on the board this month following his graduation from South Dakota State University.

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Editor: For those of you who aren’t familiar with Conrad, he’s the son of Karl & Joan Adam, Karl being a former State GOP Chair, as well as being the great-grandson of Governor George T. Mickelson. He is also known for his inspirational story after overcoming cancer. 

Brandon Man Indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance

PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that Wayne Jerry Ellingson, 41, Brandon, has been indicted by a Minnehaha County Grand Jury. Ellingson was indicted on one count of possession of a controlled substance, fentanyl, class 5 felony, punishable by up to 5 years in the state penitentiary and/or $10,000 fine.

Ellingson is presumed innocent until such time as proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Brandon Police Department and the Division of Criminal Investigation and being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

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Editor:  I read this, and was kind of going “meh,” until I googled this gentleman’s name….  And then I understood why the AG is in the middle of prosecuting it. 

While Paula Hawks was busy hanging out with “Abortion Barbie” Wendy Davis this week, her staff was filing a FEC report that has her burning through her cash faster than it comes in – an apocalyptic sign for a campaign that hasn’t even started in earnest.

Hawks Pre Primary FEC

Taking in $35,484 in a period in which Noem took in nearly three times the amount at 106,000, the Democrat challenger to Congresswoman Kristi Noem doesn’t have the luxury that Noem does – 1.6 million in the bank. And while Noem still managed to bank about $9,000, Hawks is spending more than comes in ($37,812) and eating into her campaign kitty, reducing her cash on hand to $113,705.

To put it in election terms… That’s about one statewide mailing.

What did Hawks spend her campaign cash on?

Some went for rent. She spent about $600 at Ad arts for signs. And then salaries. In fact, $23,578 appears to have gone for salaries during this period, not leaving much for actual campaigning.

And she had her hair done, with $117.06 going to “Vanessens Hair Design.” You know, that probably wasn’t the best buy. If she’d gone with the flow-bee, she would have managed to save a few bucks.

Even with the “Super Mini-Vac” version at 114.90, she could have saved at least a few dollars. And had it on hand any time she needed it.

It’s a thought for a campaign on a tight budget.

From my mailbox:

The Minnehaha Republican Party is excited to have Kris Paronto as our special guest speaker for the Minnehaha County Republican Party. Kris Paronto fought to save over 20 lives for 13 hours during the terrorist attack in Benghazi. Detailed in the book and movie 13 Hours in Benghazi this is the harrowing first hand account of what really happened.

Once ticket sales are closed there will be no more available.

Emcee: Mark Mickelson
Speakers: Senator John Thune, Senator Mike Rounds, Representative Kristi Noem, PUC Commissioner Chris Nelson.
Tuesday May 31st at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall. Get tix now!

6 PM Social – 7 PM Dinner

Eventbrite tickets here

General Admission tickets $55.
Personalized pre-order books $30
Private reception $250

The Minnehaha County Republicans are asking sponsors not to sponsor the party this year, but to Sponsor veterans. Buy a full or partial table for veterans and the tickets will go to the Veterans group of your choice! Call Dave for details or order on Eventbrite.
Contact Gabrielle to order tix over the phone (605) 661-4064

Kris “Tanto” Paronto
Former Ranger, 2nd Battalion, 75th Regiment
Security and Military Consultant
Hero of Benghazi Attack

Kris Paronto – “Tanto” as he is affectionately known in security contracting circles – is a former Army Ranger from 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and private security contractor who has deployed throughout South America, Central America, the Middle East and North Africa. He also worked with the US Government’s Global Response Staff conducting low profile security in high threat environments throughout the world.

Mr. Paronto was part the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on the US Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya, September 11th, 2012, helping to save over 20 lives while fighting off terrorists from the CIA Annex for over 13 hours. Mr. Paronto’s story is told in the book “13 Hours” written by Mitchell Zuckoff and his five surviving annex security team members.

Awww man! Just as I was thinking about the next episode of the Svarstad Files, this had to happen! From today’s Yankton paper (dead tree edition).

Seriously? Svarstad decided to pull a Heidelberger and drop out with less than 2 weeks to go before the election? Is he kidding? I still have a TON of material I wanted to use.  It didn’t even take Rushmore PAC to drive him out.

Interestingly, he’s citing his reason of leaving as going home to Aberdeen to “help with his younger brother who is having problems.”

Given his extensive criminal history, somehow, I’ve got to wonder who has the problems…..

You probably don’t remember the scummy “South Dakota Taxpayer’s PAC” from 2 years back, so I’ll provide the reminder:

If you look at 2013’s House Bill 1199, it doesn’t really reference Obamacare. In fact, it’s a bill to “prohibit the sharing of patient records in a health information exchange by the state without written authorization from the patient.”

And then there’s the other thing. Anderson wasn’t one of the 10 votes in committee to send the measure to the 41st day.

In fact, on the day the vote was taken – on January 21, 2013 – David Anderson wasn’t present in the legislature.  In fact, he wouldn’t be appointed to the legislature for another 4 months.

Read that here.

Yes, in the last election, this questionable organization ran by a Ken McGregor of Box Elder did hit jobs on various candidates, and they’re back again. Funded Singularly by South Dakota Gun Owners in the past, they have yet to file a pre-primary report for this campaign season.

But, while they haven’t filed a report yet, they’ve started the same nonsense this election cycle that they were guilty of 2 years ago – Flat out lies.

For example, the bill cites Senate Bill 150 in 2015, as one of several bills she cast a vote on the card author cites as partial evidence that she voted 7 times for “Higher taxes on your car and your fuel.”

The problem? This bill which would have required electric car owners to pay a minor fee for their share of using the roads (since they don’t really pay gas taxes like the rest of us)…

… It never made it to the floor of the Senate.  Haverly never voted on it. She never even came close to voting on it. But, they’re citing it as the SD Taxpayer’s PAC flies again in the 2016 primary races.

How do you attack someone on the basis of things they never did? On votes they never made?  Don’t ask me, but I’m sure Ken McGregor can tell you.

Ken McGregor of 15148 225th St in Box Elder (605-593-4541) still remains the committee chair and treasurer for this PAC. Ironically, it appears to still be a PAC of lies.

And we’ll see if it remains solely funded by the SD Gun Owners again.

I was just informed that State Representative Scott Munsterman’s wife, Mary Jeanne, who has bravely battled cancer for many years, passed away this morning.  Visitation is planned for 5pm-7pm on Thursday, June 2nd. Her funeral will be Friday, June 3rd at 10:00am. Both will be at at GracePoint Wesleyan Church in Brookings, SD.

South Dakota Republican Party to Host Regional Platform Committee Meetings

PIERRE – The South Dakota Republican Party will begin hosting regional meetings across South Dakota for the 2016 South Dakota GOP State Convention Platform Committee next week. The purpose of the field hearings is to solicit input from those party members with an interest in our platform. The locations and dates are listed below.

Aberdeen – May 31, 5 pm CT at Mavericks Restaurant
Rapid City – June 2, 5 pm MT at University Center
Sioux Falls – June 6, 5 pm CT at SF Downtown Library
Telephonic – June 9, 5 pm CT – Dial (563) 999.2090 Access Code: 799039

The South Dakota Republican State Convention will take place on June 24th and 25th in Aberdeen, South Dakota. For questions or additional information, please contact the South Dakota Republican Party at (605) 777.0467 or email Ryan Budmayr at ryan@southdakotagop.com

Somehow, I don’t think Paula Hawks’ campaign is going to look this good moving into the fall.

Noem Pre-primary 2016

I’ll be curious to see what Hawks reports, but in this latest report, Congresswoman Noem is reporting $105,888 raised, $97,907 spent, and an incredibly strong $1,656,408.51 CASH ON HAND.

Little wonder the pundits are calling this race “Solid Republican.”

(BTW, 1.6M on hand? Just let me throw this concept out there – Did I mention I have the ad space up top available?)