This might be one of the more curious campaign finance filings we’ll see today.

Extreme-right Indy candidate Karen McNeal apparently received significant funds from District 31 Republican State Representative Scott Odenbach’s personal political action committee in her attempt to knock out one of South Dakota’s most solid Republican Senators, District 32’s Helene Duhamel:

McNeal Pre-General CampaignFinance by Pat Powers on Scribd

 

Liberty Tree PAC is Odenbach’s personal Political Action Committee, and his $2000 donation ties him with McNeal’s most significant donors this entire election cycle.

Odenbach isn’t the only Republican officeholder/candidate to step out of their lane, as D34 House Candidate Heather Baxter also crossed the aisle with a $200 check, and so did D35 Senate Candidate Greg Blanc.

Why is this worth noting? Odenbach has been mentioned as one of the Representatives interested in running for House Majority Leader in caucus elections which will come after November 5, as part of a leadership ticket including himself, Karla Lems, Jon Hanson, and Marty Overweg.

And you can’t help but consider that among legislators, it’s a slap in the face for those seeking unity in the party after the contentious primary elections (which I believe Scott’s PAC also had participated in).  It’s understandable that people are going to work to get their preferred Republican elected in the primary, but with it bleeding over to the general election, they might as well be donating to the Democrat party.

If people had any hope for everyone getting along after the general election.. Sorry. I don’t think that’s going to happen.

Celebrating South Dakota’s Unofficial State Holiday
By Sen. John Thune

As the crisp fall temperatures begin to break through, an unmistakable anticipation builds in the air for our state’s unofficial holiday. The days and nights get cooler, the leaves change colors, and South Dakotans start counting down the days to the third Saturday in October: the start of pheasant season.

Growing up in Murdo, my family and I always looked forward to getting out in the fields and bagging some roosters. My dad passed this tradition on to us, hunting with us into his nineties. We have proudly passed it down to our kids, and I look forward to sharing this heritage with my grandkids someday, too.

A morning in the field is made better with good bird dogs and good company, and coming together at the end of a long day offers a perfect opportunity to thank God for His many blessings and hopefully enjoy a plate full of pheasant. One of the things I cherish most are these moments with friends and family in our great outdoors.

In food plots, sloughs, and shelterbelts across our state, shouts of “rooster!” can be heard all season as locals and visitors alike take part in our famed pastime. For more than a century since that first hunting season commenced, generations of South Dakotans have taken up the mantle of providing suitable habitat for ringnecks and other wildlife, and it’s this spirit of conservation that has sustained our state’s proud tradition for so long and made South Dakota the “pheasant capital of the world.”

In Washington, I’m working to preserve and modernize the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a historic program that has helped keep our pheasant population bountiful. I’ve introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen CRP, and I will continue fighting to support this and other land conservation efforts in the U.S. Senate.

This season, I hope you enjoy some quality time with family and friends, take in the rich beauty of our wonderful state, and, of course, bag a limit of birds. To hunters across South Dakota, here’s to a safe and successful hunt.

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Life on the Hill
By Jack Jerde, Washington, D.C. Intern
October 18, 2024

When I applied to intern in Congressman Dusty Johnson’s office in the summer of 2024, I never anticipated receiving the offer to work in D.C. As a bison rancher from rural northwest South Dakota, I’m quite the D.C. outsider, and I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Initially, I anticipated that my responsibilities would primarily involve answering phones and logging messages; however, I was asked to complete a multitude of interesting projects. I’ve written memos, joined meetings, and led tours of the Capitol building, among many other things. It’s a very fast-paced and exhilarating environment. I can’t think of a day I haven’t enjoyed coming to work. I was also pleasantly surprised at how welcoming the staff is. Everyone here is friendly and eager to help with any questions you might have. Building strong relationships and staying engaged has made my time here even more rewarding.

Throughout my internship so far, I’ve refined my writing and speaking skills while gaining a thorough understanding of the many intricacies of federal government. From the outside, it can be easy to view the federal government as a faceless, monolithic structure that is often criticized for inefficiency and a lack of innovation. However, this experience has shown me the vitality of the people make these institutions run and inspired me to continue seeking to work in public service. In my experience, I found that our institutions are run by surprisingly small teams who work tirelessly and employ significant creativity to serve their constituents back home.

To the aspiring congressional interns out there, embrace the discomfort of not having much expertise at the beginning of the internship. I remember feeling nervous on my first few days. With time, you’ll ease into your duties. I’d also encourage you to pursue as many opportunities as possible to talk to the professionals you meet. As an intern, you will learn a lot about the federal government, and the connections you’ll make are priceless. Lastly, make the most of every week as if it’s your last. It seems like yesterday I was being shown around the office and introducing myself to staff members. The few months you spend as an intern can shape your future in ways you can’t imagine.

I would highly recommend this internship to any young person with ambitions to serve in politics. I’ve made many lifelong friends and have made some amazing memories along the way. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of this incredible team. I’m excited to carry forward the lessons I’ve learned and face the world with renewed passion and purpose.

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South Dakota: Prosperous and Free 
By: Gov. Kristi Noem  
October 18, 2024    

Over the past several years, South Dakota’s economy has consistently been the strongest of any state in the country. We recently received two updates that underscore just how strong our economy continues to be, even with the sluggish economy under the Biden-Harris Administration. 

South Dakota once again led the nation in income growth in 2023 according to the Federal Reserve. Additionally, their data shows that we have the second-best growth over the last five years for growth in real median household income. That means our incomes are rising faster than inflation, which isn’t the case for many states across the country.

We also received an accolade from the free market Cato Institute, which recognized us as tied for 4^th out of all states for fiscal policy. They gave us an A and said the following about South Dakota:

“Kristi Noem of South Dakota has defended her state’s low-tax policies since her election in 2018. As one of the freest states in the nation, South Dakota enjoys net domestic in-migration, while most of its neighbors suffer out-migration. Noem cut the general sales tax rate from 4.5 percent to 4.2 percent – a significant reduction, as the state has no income tax and relies heavily on sales taxes. Noem consistently proposes flat budgets. 

South Dakota is setting an example for wise fiscal management. We still have a AAA credit rating and one of the only fully-funded pension plans in the country, and we are looking forward to delivering a balanced budget once again in the upcoming legislative session.

Our unemployment rate remains the lowest in the nation at 2.0%, and last year we even broke the record for lowest unemployment rate for a state in American history. Our jobs market remains the strongest in America – Freedom truly Works Here! 

Behind all of these statistics are people – South Dakota families who are able to put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads, and grow towards their American Dream.

 The rest of the nation could certainly stand to follow South Dakota’s example. By getting government out of the way and allowing people to utilize their Freedom in pursuit of the American Dream, we can bring incomes up, costs down, and get the United States of America back to work!

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Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.

Anyone else get the e-mail blast today from No on 21 alliance member group Dakota Rural Action?

Dakota Rural Action has long been a member of the No on Referred Law 21 alliance of enemies of ethanol & energy production. And they had to file pre-election paperwork, which they did in the last day or so. You can read it here:

Dakota Rural Action Ballot Committee by Pat Powers on Scribd

Why do we care about this? It’s called “follow the money.” Because this is one of the most interesting paper-trails I’ve seen.

So this group takes in $35k from a group called South Dakota Rural Voters. What can we tell you about this group? Well, they filed a report too. And here’s where it gets interesting:

Sd Rural Voters by Pat Powers on Scribd

So, the anti-pipeline group takes $25k from the “New World Foundation” in Washington DC, and $10,000 from the “Jane Fonda Climate PAC,” who immediately turns it over to the ballot committee running No on 21 ads and text blasts.

What can we tell you about them?  The New World Foundation is a pro-labor union environmentalist group, led by a former director for the AFL-CIO, and includes among it’s board members people from the Obama Administration.

The Jane Fonda Climate Pac? As you might expect:

I’ve spent my life fighting for what I believe in. When I was 32, President Nixon had me arrested. 50 years later I was arrested five times for protesting the government’s inaction on climate change. It’s no secret that I have a history of ruffling feathers in Washington. Today, support for climate action is unprecedented. The public is voting with the climate in mind, but the people we elect are not.

and..

It is for that reason that I started Jane Fonda Climate PAC, which is laser-focused on one goal:Do what it takes to defeat fossil fuel supporters and elect climate champions at all levels of government. I believe this is the most important thing I will do in my lifetime.

Read the words of Jane Fonda here.

The group fighting the Summit Carbon Pipeline is actually having it’s advertising efforts funded in part by Jane Fonda.

So all these “allegedly conservative” legislators protesting against ethanol and the pipeline they need to keep ag processing competitive in South Dakota? They are doing so at the bidding of Jane Fonda.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  That might be the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time.

And a good example that politics are a circle. And you might be so far right, that you’re actually left.

Interesting campaign finance filing with the Secretary of State today. The Pennington County GOP filed their campaign finance report, and it seems to be indicative of a Republican Party organization that has forgotten what purpose it serves.

Pennington 2024 Campaign Finance Report by Pat Powers on Scribd

The second largest GOP county party organization in the state reports having raised about $84,163.74 this last year. Unfortunately, between operating expenses and other things they spent money on, it only cost them $106,574 to do so (plus 9k in donated goods & services), eating into their bank account by $22k, leaving them $19,880 to fund their activities next year. Or less, since this is just the pre-primary report.

But here’s the line item that should chap the tails of the Pennington County candidates. (i.e., the reason the group is there in the first place). How much of that $106k did they spend in getting candidates elected?  NOTHING.

$1000 to Vote No on H ballot measure, which the party took an official position on. And the party has long had an anti abortion plank. But $1000 to two of those that it didn’t, including the Anti-ethanol group, and Protecting SD Kids?   What about Republican candidates? 

They can blow $4K on ballot measures, over 8k on a “Candidate forum,” but nothing on candidates?   It’s like they’re only there to perpetuate a fiefdom, and completely ignoring the fiefs.

The entire reason they exist in the first place is to elect Republicans.  Maybe they should start considering that.

Quit donating to ballot measures, and start supporting candidates.  Or you don’t deserve to exist.

(*BONUS*)

Pennington County Republican Women donated more to candidates than the Pennington County Republican Party.

And they’re ending the reporting for the cycle with about as much in the bank.

Good on them for having their priorities straight.

My wife is home next weekend for my birthday, and we were talking about hitting the USD/SDSU football game. Of course it’s sold out, so I went to the aftermarket to check what might be available.

Good gosh. It’s not quite as bad as Taylor Swift, but that game is popular-concert expensive when $25 tickets are going that high:

When $310 is an “ok deal,” I think I might have to fire up ESPN at home instead.   (Go Jacks!)

Is Toby Doeden kidding?

A text invite to take a poll went out this evening, mainly with several push poll/slanted messages against Amendment H. But included in those messages was this dead giveaway of the text-invite poll’s origin.

Seriously? Aside from the fact that the poll invite comes as a text message with a link much like one would be invited to send money to a Nigerian prince, the fact that it includes Toby at all tells you who is asking.

Absolutely no one is polling his name after his lightning quick exit from his Congressional exploration earlier this year. Not to mention his self-indulgent rally that was protested by the NAACP.

I don’t know if he thinks he’s going give it another go on the strength of the nazi rally vote coming in for him, but in 2026 actual Republicans won’t have the time of day for that clown. There ain’t no way he could win dog catcher, much less run for statewide office.

Stay tuned. And don’t click on strange text messages.

Goofy election truther Jessica Pollema attacked the Minnehaha County Commission yesterday, accusing them of treason because …Minnehaha County follows federal law?

Under current South Dakota law, voters filling on registration forms must have “maintained residence in South Dakota for at least 30 days prior to submitting the registration form.” That state law conflicts with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1970 where no person shall be denied the right to vote “because of durational residency requirement or absentee balloting.”

At the commission meeting, Minnehaha County resident Jessica Pollema said she believes the sanctity of elections in the state are at risk if they allow “thousands of unverified perjured voters” to commit fraud by voting. She accused the county commissioners of treason for allowing them to vote.

“I’m a little upset right now,” commission chair Dean Karsky said after public comment ended. “I’ve spent six years active duty in the Air Force. I’m being accused of treason. I’m being told I need to do something. Nobody tells me what I’m supposed to do, I don’t prosecute laws. I’m a county commissioner.”

Read the entire story here at KELOland.com.

I’m not sure what do you do with someone who makes up their own definition to words they read on facebook.

South Dakota Has a Primary Problem

Joe Kirby, Chairman of South Dakota Open Primaries announced, “We have a primary problem in South Dakota. Only 17% of voters turned out for the June 2024 primary election. It appears over 70% will vote in the November general election. Why the difference? Because many South Dakota voters are denied a meaningful role in the state’s closed primaries.”

“Public officials are quick to criticize voters when turnout is low. But the problem isn’t the voters. South Dakotans have proven they love to vote in important elections. The state’s antiquated closed primary system prohibits them from doing that.”

“The closed primary system made more sense when there were two strong political parties in the state and very few independent voters. But the world has changed. The South Dakota Democratic party has become mostly irrelevant with no Democrat currently occupying statewide office and only about 10% of legislative positions. Meanwhile, the number of independent voters who choose not to affiliate with either party has skyrocketed to 155,000. The number of independent voters in the state far exceeds the number of Democrats.”

“Amendment H is on the November 5^th ballot and would solve South Dakota’s primary problem. All candidates for an office would be listed on a single ballot. All legal voters would get that ballot. The top two vote getters would move on to the general election. Most importantly, all voters would get to vote.”

“The state of South Dakota estimates an open primary would attract another 50,000 voters. We think that their estimate is low. South Dakotans have proven at multiple general elections that they will turn out in large numbers when there are interesting and competitive races. Open primaries promise to increase the number of candidates as well the competition in our elections.”

The following chart uses data from the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website.

YEAR	General Election	Primary Election
2016	70%	21%
2018	65%	27%
2020	74%	28%
2022	59%	32% (Amendment C drew a crowd)
2024	>70% estimated	17%

Kirby added, “We have a primary problem in South Dakota.155,000 independent and not affiliated South Dakota voters currently have little to say about who represents them and leads the state. That’s not fair. Nor is it good for our state. After all, democracy works best when all voters get to vote. Vote YES on H!”

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