Thune, Rounds Legislation to Advance Lewis and Clark Water Expansion Project Approved by Committee

 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) applauded the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for passing their legislation on Thursday, July 16, that would authorize a feasibility study for the proposed expansion of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System. The bill now heads to the full Senate.

“The Lewis and Clark Regional Water System continues to achieve meaningful progress toward fully serving its member communities across South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota,” said Thune. “I’m pleased that the committee has passed our legislation and look forward to its consideration by the full Senate. I thank Senator Rounds for working with me on this important effort.”

“Continued access to clean and reliable water is critical to economic development and quality of life in our state,” said Rounds. “I’m pleased that the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has advanced our legislation that would authorize a feasibility study for an expansion of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System. I look forward to working with Senator Thune and my colleagues to get this feasibility study through the Senate and into law.”

“Lewis and Clark Regional Water System is grateful to Congress and the champions of this legislation, including Leader Thune, for recognizing the importance of long-term water infrastructure planning,” said Troy Larson, executive director of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System. “The success of our region depends on a dependable water supply, and this measure will help ensure we are prepared to meet future needs as our communities grow. Thoughtful planning today will help secure reliable water service, economic opportunity, and quality of life for generations to come. We thank the bill sponsors for their leadership.”

In addition to Thune and Rounds, the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Act (S. 3725) is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn).

###

This was a weird report to see, as it appears that the South Dakota Republican Party has abandoned using their federal account for much of anything, despite it having been where the party traditionally kept the bulk of their funds over the decades after they put themselves back together over the tough times of the early seventies.

Now, despite the federal account’s link to their Win Red account, and anyone holding office at the federal level, it appears that this repository for funding is near dormant, And it showed only token activity during the party’s biennial convention which was just held in Rapid City.

Clearly, no money came into this account from Thune, Rounds, Dusty, or the Jackley campaign and neither did any money go out from them to the SDGOP for the convention during this period, because this is the place where is should have appeared.

Yet, what did we see for financial activity? Not very much.

SDGOP July 2026 FEC Report by Pat Powers

According to this report, the SDGOP raised $75 federally. That seems a bit odd. During the entire Republican State convention?

So, how was money given by Justin McNeal, candidate for US Senate, for the Thursday Morning Coffee Break? Would that not have gone from his federal account to the party’s?

Or the Thursday Lunch from Mike Rounds, The Thursday social by Senator Thune, the Friday Lunch by Candidate for US House, Marty Jackley, or the Saturday lunch, again sponsored by Senator Thune?

 

I would have thought all those federal funds would have at least touched this account before it passed elsewhere?

They did report transferring in $1500 from the state account. And the only federal expenditure was $917.57 on accounting services, where they left the period with $29,706.91 cash on hand.

To find out what they really spent on the convention, and what they were left with, we’ll have to wait until October when the pre-general reports are due with the Secretary of State’s office (Assuming their treasurer filled them out right).

Another day in the State Republican Party.

From my mailbox come news that a long-time carrier of water for the elephant and former state official Dave Volk has passed away:

David Volk, 79, of Mitchell, SD, passed away Friday, July 17, 2026, at Veterans Affairs Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Private burial will be at Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery in Mitchell.

David Lawrence Volk was born April 12, 1947, in Mitchell, SD, to Erwin and Joan Volk. David graduated from Northern State University and was immediately drafted into the U.S. Army. David had spent a lifetime serving his country, his state, and his community through military service, public leadership, volunteerism, and storytelling. A 1969 graduate of Northern State University, Volk has built an extraordinary legacy that spans decades of service and achievement, making a lasting impact on South Dakota and beyond. He served two years in the military, including a year in Vietnam as a combat photographer with the 101st Airborne Division. During his service, he documented the realities of war while serving alongside fellow soldiers in challenging and often dangerous conditions. For his dedication and service, Volk received the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star.

Following his military service, Volk returned home and embarked on a remarkable career in public service. In 1972, at just 25 years old, he ran for South Dakota State Treasurer and won, becoming the youngest person in state history elected to a statewide office at the time. Voters would return him to the position four more times, entrusting him with the responsibility for managing the state’s finances for nearly two decades.

During his tenure as state treasurer, Volk helped establish the National Association of State Treasurers and was elected its first president, demonstrating leadership that extended well beyond South Dakota’s borders. His work helped strengthen collaboration among state financial officers across the nation and elevated South Dakota’s role in shaping public finance policy.

You can read the entire Obituary here.

Please keep his family in your prayers.

Gov. Rhoden Mourns Loss of Denny Sanford

PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden mourned the loss of businessman and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford.

“It is with great sadness that Sandy and I mourn the loss of T. Denny – a man who has so generously and intentionally invested in the great state of South Dakota,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “His contributions will not be forgotten, and South Dakota will forever be impacted by his legacy. Put simply, he was the greatest philanthropist in South Dakota history.”

Sanford gave billions to charitable causes in South Dakota, including:

• Sanford Health, with donations exceeding $1 billion that transformed healthcare delivery throughout the state;
• Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, a major state asset in science and education that would not have been possible without Sanford’s support;
• The Build Dakota Scholarships and the Premier/Freedom Scholarship, two significant scholarship programs that have transformed the lives of thousands of young people;
• Sioux Falls Development Corporation, which will make possible the relocation of Smithfield and the redevelopment of the former site; and
• Children’s Home Society of South Dakota, to which Sanford is the largest donor.

“Denny Sanford was a significant donor to practically every charitable campaign in Sioux Falls, and many others throughout the state,” said Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen. “Beyond his high-profile gifts, Denny was a key reason that Sioux Falls has such a strong culture of philanthropy, and many important community improvements benefited from his support.”

###

I hope they don’t “Biolate” unsuccessful congressional primary candidate James Bialota where he’s going, as he found himself on the wrong end of the law today according to UJS records:

He pled not guilty, but that’s not the way his jury of his peers viewed it. And today was the day when he found out the penalty.

For the class one misdemeanor of entering or refusing to leave property after notice, he was sentenced to 100 days in jail, with 93 suspended. According to court records, his incarceration will begin on 7/24/26.

I hope he makes sure to get out to vote early, since he’s going to be cooling his heels for a couple days past the primary election runoff.

Toby Doeden Voted for Barack Obama

Pierre, SD – Today, the Rhoden for Governor campaign released the “I Voted” ad, which educates South Dakotans on the fact that Toby Doeden did not vote in any Republican primaries until 2024. However, in his own words, he says he voted for both Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama in previous presidential elections.

“I think I may have even voted for Barack Obama,” Toby Doeden says in the ad. The audio was captured during a meeting with a community leader.

In a fuller version of the audio (which will be made available to the media upon request), Doeden says, “I’m pretty sure I voted for Bill Clinton. I think I may have even voted for Barack Obama in 2008. My dad was a registered Democrat – I was a registered Democrat into my thirties.”

The South Dakota Republican gubernatorial runoff election is on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

###

Starting in about 10 minutes, you can join Governor Larry Rhoden’s Telephone Town Hall and find out more about his campaign and his agenda for the coming term. Once the call starts at 7pm you can join by calling 888-886-6602

What South Dakota’s Budget Surplus Really Means
By Representative Chris Kassin

Each year when South Dakota closes its books, one question inevitably follows:

“If the state ended the year with a $69 million surplus, why didn’t we spend that money?”

It is a fair question and one I hear often from constituents. The answer begins with understanding how South Dakota builds its budget.

Unlike the federal government, South Dakota cannot simply borrow money to cover a deficit. Our Constitution requires a balanced budget. Every year, the Legislature must estimate how much revenue the state will collect and build a budget that does not spend more than that amount.

That estimate is not simply handed down by the Governor. Each February, the Governor’s Bureau of Finance and Management (BFM) and the nonpartisan Legislative Research Council (LRC) independently develop revenue forecasts using different economic models. Those forecasts are presented to the bipartisan Revenue Projection Subcommittee, a subcommittee of the Joint Committee on Appropriations (JCA), which reviews the data and adopts the official revenue estimate used to build the state budget. After carefully reviewing the information presented, the legislature sets the revenue estimate.

That estimate is made months before the fiscal year even begins. By the time the budget year ends, we have been forecasting revenues and expenditures as much as 17 months into the future. Anyone who has tried to predict where the economy will be a year from now knows that is no easy task.

Could we assume the economy will grow faster? Could we budget another $50 million or $100 million because we hope sales tax collections will exceed expectations?

Of course we could.

It would also be one of the most fiscally irresponsible things we could ever do.

Building a budget on revenue you hope to collect instead of revenue you reasonably expect to collect creates the risk of budget shortfalls, spending reductions, and emergency adjustments after commitments have already been made. That’s why South Dakota follows a budgeting process built on conservative, realistic revenue estimates.

This year’s surplus illustrates why.

Some have suggested the $69 million surplus proves the Legislature overbudgeted or failed to spend money that could have helped South Dakotans. That simply is not how the budget works.

The surplus represents only about 2.75 percent of South Dakota’s $2.5 billion general fund budget. Considering we are forecasting nearly a year and a half into the future, that reflects remarkable accuracy.

One of the largest contributors to the year-end balance was the Department of Social Services. The Legislature budgeted enough funding to ensure eligible South Dakotans could receive needed services. Fortunately, actual demand was lower than projected. Fewer people qualified for certain programs, utilization was below expectations, and some services cost less than anticipated. The budget represented prudent planning that ensured services could be provided if needed. The funds were not spent because the demand never materialized.

Healthcare budgeting makes this especially difficult. A handful of catastrophic medical cases can add millions of dollars in costs, and no forecasting model can predict exactly when those expenses will occur.

Good budgeting is not measured by whether every dollar gets spent. It is measured by whether the state has the resources to meet its obligations while protecting taxpayers from unnecessary financial risk.

No forecast will ever be perfect. Economies change. Healthcare utilization changes. Unexpected events happen.

No one can predict the future with perfect accuracy. Our job is to make the best decisions we can with the information we have at the time.

South Dakota has earned one of the strongest fiscal reputations in the nation because we refuse to build budgets on wishful thinking. We build them on evidence, careful analysis, and disciplined forecasting. I believe that approach has served our state well, and it is one worth protecting.

________________

Representative Chris Kassin represents District 17 in the South Dakota House of Representatives. He serves on the Joint Committee on Appropriations and the Legislature’s Revenue Projection Subcommittee, where he helps develop the state budget and revenue estimates.

André Zachariahs Announces Campaign for South Dakota House in District 15

SIOUX FALLS, SD – André Zachariahs announced that he is a candidate for the South Dakota House of Representatives in District 15, launching a campaign focused on strengthening families, supporting thriving communities, and leaving the next generation with even greater opportunity.

“What kind of South Dakota will our kids inherit?” Zachariahs said. “That’s the question I keep asking myself. As stewards of the future, every decision we make today shapes the opportunities they’ll have tomorrow.”

Zachariahs and his wife, Carrie, are raising four boys in Sioux Falls, an experience he says has shaped both his priorities and his perspective on public service.

“I don’t think most parents wake up thinking about politics,” he said. “They’re thinking about getting everyone out the door in the morning, making it to work, helping with homework, paying the bills, and trying to build a good life. Good government should make those things a little easier, not a little harder.”

Zachariahs said the values that have guided his family are the same values that will guide his approach to public service.

“Over the years, I’ve come to believe that healthy communities are built by listening well, caring deeply, and investing in the people around us,” he said. “That’s the approach I’ll bring to the Legislature.”

He said his campaign will focus on ensuring South Dakota remains a place where families can build a future, businesses can grow, communities can thrive, and the next generation has every opportunity to succeed.

“I want my boys to have the same, or better, opportunities I had growing up here,” Zachariahs said. “That doesn’t happen by accident. Every generation has a responsibility to leave something better for the next one.”

As the campaign gets underway, Zachariahs said he looks forward to continuing to meet with and listen to residents across District 15, hearing their ideas, learning from their experiences, and earning their trust.

“Good leadership starts with listening,” he said. “The people of District 15 bring different experiences, perspectives, and ideas to the table. I look forward to learning from them and working together to keep South Dakota a place where families can thrive, and future generations have every opportunity to succeed.”

For more information about the campaign, visit AndreforHouse.com.

###

Johnson Targeted by Biden DOJ’s Arctic Frost 

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) released the following statement regarding Operation Arctic Frost in which President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice officials obtained and reviewed the Congressman’s text messages. The investigative team improperly reviewed the messages of 44 Members of Congress.

“My text messages obtained by Jack Smith’s rogue investigation team shows an unprecedented level of carelessness for the rule of law and the constitutional separation of powers,” said Johnson. “I’m grateful to the whistleblowers who brought these acts to light and to the Senate Judiciary Committee for continuing this Congressional oversight.”

Johnson will review the classified information obtained by the Justice Department.

Background:

The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary released evidence that the United States Department of Justice Special Counsel investigation lead by Jack Smith improperly obtained and reviewed text messages from Members of Congress from across political lines.

The Justice Department’s letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley can be viewed here.

The full press release from the Senate Judiciary Committee can be viewed here.

###