The Building of America’s Golden Age Can Start in South Dakota
By Rep. Kent Roe, District 4

When President Trump talks about Making America Great Again, he’s calling for the ushering in of a golden age, one built on restoring law and order, American energy dominance, and the security of knowing our kids will inherit a stronger nation. To get there, we must produce affordable, reliable energy, making America not just independent, but unstoppable. And we must build the technology infrastructure of tomorrow here at home, not in China.

South Dakotans have the resolve to answer that call. From renewable fuels to natural gas, coal, and hydro, our state can punch above her weight and help power the nation. Energy development means reliable electricity, economic growth and diversification, and property tax relief. It’s how we keep America strong and South Dakota families secure.

But energy production alone isn’t enough. AI is fast becoming a driving force and will undoubtedly help shape America’s future. America needs AI infrastructure powered by American energy. If China controls AI, they will control the weapons of the future, the global economy, and the very flow of information. That is a direct threat to our national security and our freedoms.

This is where South Dakota can lead. We can meet the growing energy demand while providing a skilled workforce trained at Dakota State University and our technical colleges. AI infrastructure projects mean good-paying careers, new tax revenue for schools, roads, public safety, and property tax relief. Most importantly, they give our kids the chance to build their futures here at home instead of leaving for the big cities.

South Dakotans have always been builders of families, communities, farms, ranches, businesses, and even Mount Rushmore, the Shrine of Democracy itself. Now we can help build America’s golden age, combining energy dominance and technological leadership.

I’m proud to stand with President Trump in this fight. I invite every South Dakotan to stand with us, to work, to build, to power, and to grow.

South Dakota is a great state. Let’s help President Trump Make America Great Again.

 

 

NFIB Releases New Ads Thanking Senate Majority Leader John Thune for Making the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction Permanent
New Radio and Digital Ads Start This Week in South Dakota Thanking Majority Leader Thune for Stopping Massive Tax Hike on Small Business Owners

PIERRE, S.D. (Aug. 25, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, today released new radio, billboard, and digital advertisements thanking Senate Majority Leader John Thune for taking action to make the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent.

The multi-platform campaign, which represents a continuation of NFIB’s multi-year advocacy effort in support of the Small Business Deduction, is running statewide. The ads thank Leader Thune for voting to make the deduction permanent and for stopping a massive tax hike on small business owners.

You can listen to the radio ad and view the digital ad here, and view the billboard ad here.

“Making the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent is a big win for Main Street,” said NFIB South Dakota State Director Jason Glodt. “By voting to protect this tax relief, Leader John Thune has given small business owners in South Dakota the certainty they need to grow their operations, continue creating jobs, and give back to their communities. NFIB appreciates his leadership in standing up for small businesses in our state.”

The 20% Small Business Tax Deduction, first passed as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, allows small business owners to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income. This critical provision helps level the playing field between small firms and large corporations.

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SD News Watch has a story they’ve posted today with House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach declaring that he has a mind to ban anyone being able to drill a water well west river in his march to ban things like development and progress. And he’s declaring war or economic development organizations like Elevate Rapid City/

Rep. Scott Odenbach, a Republican from Spearfish who is majority leader in the House of Representatives, said he began to think about water conservation in western South Dakota after seeing a U.S. Geological Survey study released in late July.

and..

Odenbach added that he is concerned that some individuals and entities in the Black Hills, such as the development agency Elevate Rapid City, are promoting “growth for the sake of growth” that could negatively affect the existing high quality of life in the Black Hills.

and..

Johnson said enacting legislative barriers to growth could backfire by creating “artificial markets” that interfere with the free market and unwittingly block the arrival of people who aren’t already wealthy. That, he said, can drive up the cost of housing and necessary goods and services and make it harder for locals to remain.

“It’s easy to pick on a group like Elevate because we try to work toward wealth and prosperity, not unfettered growth,” Johnson said. “We try to allow kids to stay here, for the next generation of kids to have jobs.”

Johnson said Odenbach is taking an “anti-growth” stance that will prevent the Black Hills and its current and future residents from reaching their highest potential.

“The problem with folks like Odenbach is they’ve got their piece of the pie, right? They’ve got the Black Hills that they want and they don’t want your kids or your kids’ kids to have a piece of that,” Johnson said.

Read the entire story here.

As the House Majority Leader is doing everything he can to stop economic development out west, I have to go remind myself about those things the Republican Party’s platform says about development..

2.1. Economic Growth – We support the creation of new jobs, economic development, and job training which will encourage our youth and adults to stay in the great State of South Dakota.
2.3  Infrastructure – We support the development of modern infrastructure to foster economic growth.
2.4 Government Intrusion – We believe economic activity thrives in an environment of limited government intrusion and can be stifled by government overreach and excessive taxation and overregulation.

If Scott is so concerned about water availability, he should lead by working with others. State Senator Helene Duhamel has long been a champion of building in the infrastructure to make sure we don’t have water shortages. Yet, I don’t hear anything from him about supporting that effort which he actually voted for.

Instead, from Scott, we get BANANA talk – Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything.

Either we want places where we can live, grow, and have our families decide to return to because we have a quality of life and jobs. Or we are just going to be a bunch of old farts who die alone, lamenting that we wish our kids could have lived here after we made it impossible for them to do so.

The campaign’s supporters are looking kind of fluid lately as the bottom tier candidates are racing to the bottom. And some of the passengers on their respective buses are jumping off while they can.

In fact, just this weekend, it looks like there’s another case of legislators switching teams in the gubernatorial contest.

First, as you recall, State Senator Carl Perry put his finger in the air, and went flip-flopping over from the Doeden campaign over to the Hansen Campaign.  Now in the latest, in the past few days it appears that Sioux Falls State Representative Bobbi Andera who had been on the Jon Hansen bandwagon..

..must have gotten sick of listening to Hansen playing his guitar, and gotten her check… err.. sold her soul…  ahem.. changed her mind and has abandoned the Hansen for Governor campaign for the Doeden for Governor campaign:

Will Hansen continue to shed major supporters as the pizza ranch fundraisers go bust? Will people jump ship from Doeden as he falls apart under media questioning and is compared to Joe Biden?

Stay tuned as the decks continue to shuffle.

State Representative Brandei Schaefbauer is writing unintentional comedy tonight as she takes to Facebook’s comment sections to defend the honor of the former newscaster who many consider lacking in that category, Shad Olson:

Brandei Schaefbauer: You have no idea the kinds of personal hits (Shad Olson) has taken…

How many hits does Rep. Brandei think Shad has taken? I would wager it’s not as many hits as his former girlfriend told law enforcement she received at his hands:

Unfortunately, you have to ask if it an unintentionally ironic choice of words, or if the District 3 Representative is just that gullible?

Secretary of State Monae Johnson is currently in a war of words with State Representative Heather Baxter who is fronting for the election conspiracy goofballs.. (a.k.a. SD Canvassing) who is demanding a redo of elections because they think election equipment might have bluetooth:

Start about 35 seconds in..

“South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson is pushing back on one lawmaker’s complaints about South Dakota’s elections. Johnson saying that “Recycling misinformation does not make it true.” and assuring voters that South Dakota’s elections are safe, secure, and transparent.”

and..

“Baxter is now urging a full review of elections held since 2020, and is advocating for what she believes to be compliant systems..OR a return to hand-counting.”

You can view KOTA TV here.

Looks like Team Doeden is tipped over and retaining water in Mitchell at the Corn Palace Festival after setting up their tent without any weights to secure it and walking away overnight.

If Team Doeden isn’t smart enough to know you’re going to have to secure your tent in SD, I have my doubts that they can figure out how to secure votes.

Protect, Trust, and Honor
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
August 22, 2025

BIG Update

Dakotafest showcases the best of South Dakota agriculture. I joined our senators and the South Dakota Farm Bureau to discuss the Farm Bill, conservation programs, agricultural research, and the need to protect American farmland from being purchased by China and other adversaries. Farm security is national security, and it is vital that the U.S. works to secure our agricultural land from the Chinese Communist Party and affiliated groups.

I’m continuing to fight for policies that will protect and support South Dakota producers.

Johnson visits with attendees at Dakotafest

 

BIG Idea

Members of Congress should not be trading individual stocks. Let’s be clear—insider trading is already illegal and there are former members of Congress sitting in prison today, including one following insider trading convictions. I still believe it looks lousy for a member to trade individual stocks as they cast votes that impact the market. My bill, the TRUST in Congress Act, would ban representatives from this practice and I am pushing Speaker Johnson to put this bill on the floor.

Johnson joins KOTA to discuss the TRUST in Congress Act. Click here or the image above to watch.

BIG News

As the Department of Defense winds down the Vietnam-era Veteran Commemorative Pinning program, I’m working to recognize as many veterans as possible. This week, I honored 41 veterans in Rapid City and 14 in Mitchell. These brave men and women answered their country’s call to serve, and we owe them our gratitude. I’m planning more of these important events across South Dakota. If you or someone you know served in the Vietnam era, fill out my nomination form here so we can thank even more veterans for their service.

Johnson honors Vietnam-era veterans for their service (from left to right: Marc Bernard, Jim Kirwan, Jim Anderson, Rep. Johnson)

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Former staffers start SDPB Alumni to assist South Dakota Public Broadcasting

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Former staff members of South Dakota Public Broadcasting have started an alumni group to assist the network and its Friends organization in the wake of federal funding cuts.

The group has four mandates: 1. Give money to SDPB to fund programming and operations; 2. Ask others to donate funds to SDPB and Friends; 3. Advocate for SDPB in various forums; and 4. Reconnect with former colleagues.

“In light of the recent federal budget cuts, a couple of us who are former staff members decided we needed to help SDPB,” said Dr. Michael Marek, one of the group’s founders. “Many of us got our professional starts at SDPB. We are proud of the work we did for the citizens of South Dakota and want to support the great work SDPB continues to do in enhancing the lives of South Dakotans.”

For example, beginning in 1969, Marek has worked at SDPB or Friends as a student, an intern, a journalist, and a fundraiser. SDPB stations have served South Dakota with educational and public radio since 1922, educational and public television since 1961, and SDPB online programs and educational content almost since the advent of the internet.

The “SDPB Alumni” Facebook page, which anyone can find and follow, will share information about the network, funding, the long-term educational and public service provided by public broadcasting to South Dakota, and how the public can best support SDPB in a positive manner during this challenging time and into the future.

“We view the SDPB Alumni as a ‘force multiplier,’” said Ryan Howlett, Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting CEO. “These alumni have particular insight into the importance of SDPB and public broadcasting. They have also contributed or are contributing to the network’s missions of serving the cultural, educational, and informational needs of South Dakotans for as long as 60 years.”

The group will operate under the guidance of the Friends of SDPB. The alumni group is open to all current and former SDPB staff, board members, and others who have contributed to the success of the network. There is also a public-facing Facebook page that SDPB supporters can join.

For more information, interview requests, or to join the SDPB Alumni group, contact Todd Epp at tepp@sdpbalumni.com or 605.351.5021.

–30–

After one day of selling votes to those who feel the need to buy a faux sense of support, the SDGOP‘s straw poll seems to have garnered little for the organization except scorn.

So far, the party has declined to release the actual number of dollar votes it has sold, but at the same time they’re releasing information in which they seem to claim that current Governor Larry Rhoden has no support in the race.

It’s a weird flex against the Governor, given they’ve already set their bridges aflame with Senator Rounds, attacking him on social media and reportedly asking him for money just a few hours later. (Hint: they walked away empty-handed).

The fake straw poll was also a bit of a shot at Congressman Dusty Johnson, not that he’s too concerned. Since anybody willing to spend a dollar on his Gubernatorial race is going to give it directly to him at his fundraiser next week in Sioux Falls, instead of giving one dime to the party. (Which by some estimates could bring in excess of half a million dollars in one setting.)

What was I saying about scorn? Commenters overwhelmingly dunked on the party over the whole thing.

At this point, I’m not sure that they can do anything right.

If I were to offer any advice, I would start with suggesting Chairman and 32-year Democrat Jim Eschenbaum quit pooping on the party’s top office holders, and for the SDGOP to start acting like a competent organization.

Like they used to be before this crew got put in charge.