In response to today’s endorsement of Democrat legislator Jamie Smith for Mayor of Sioux Falls by the people who placed  4th place (Joe Batcheller), and 3rd (former Republican State Rep. Greg Jamison), Sioux Falls Mayoral front-runner Christine Erickson issued the following press statement:

“Look I grew up in a house with three brothers that played football. I’m used to getting piled up on…but if you ask my brothers I know how to hold my own. Boys will be boys.”

“Leading up to the June 23 runoff, my army of volunteers and I will be talking with voters and delivering a clear vision to lead Sioux Falls forward with a focus on public safety, fiscal discipline and smart growth initiatives.” I am not going to sign away the future of the city of Sioux Falls for a political endorsement.

I will always do what’s best for the citizens and I don’t have any ‘contracts’ with former candidates for this job restricting me from doing what is best for the voters.

Go get ’em Christine!

And you can support her election in the runoff by going to christineforsiouxfalls.com.

From KELOland..  (They said it, not me):

The two candidates who finished third and fourth in the Sioux Falls primary election for mayor asked their supporters to vote for Jamie Smith in the June 23 run-off election.

and..

Smith is a Democrat and a state Senator in South Dakota. He also ran for Governor as a Democrat. The third place finisher was former Republican State Rep. Greg Jamison.

Read that here.

With his endorsement of the standard bearer for the Walz/Biden Democrats in the state, I think the emphasis for Greg is on “former Republican.”

 

Did you catch this item from KELOland yesterday?

The Jamie Smith for Sioux Falls Mayor campaign announced a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Old Courthouse Museum featuring Joe Batcheller and Greg Jamison. 

Smith finished second in a five-way race for Sioux Falls Mayor. Jamison and Batcheller finished third and fourth, respectively. 

Read that here.

Greg Jamison crossing party lines surprises me greatly.  In case you’ve forgotten..

There’s Greg Jamison as part of a group including some of the furthest right people in the legislature, such as Former Gubernatorial wannabe Jon Hansen and Lt. Governor wannabe Karla Lems, House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, Brandei Shefbauer, and Bethany “lock up the librarians” Soye.

Yet now, he’s supposedly going to be standing alongside Jamie Smith, the last democrat who ran for Governor, who is out looking for a new job again.

Here’s Jamie Smith exchanging policy ideas with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz at last years’ McGovern Dinner in Sioux Falls.  And I’m sure Jamie is going to be standing with Joe Biden soaking in new ideas for his vision of Sioux Falls at the Democrats’ Dinner tomorrow night.

Jamie is the standard bearer for Democrat politics and policies in the state, and that’s who Republican Majority Whip Greg Jamison is going to be standing next to today at a podium endorsing? That’s a pretty far fall from being a member of Republican legislative leadership.  If a special session is called before January, is Greg going to join his new friends on the north side of the House chamber? Because it seems that’s where his loyalties have shifted.

Of course, it could mean something different, given what the visuals have represented the entire election. As I’ve said before, the Mayor’s race in Sioux Falls seems to be a bunch of middle aged-men ganging up to try to keep a woman in her place.  I’m sure that image won’t rear it’s ugly head at all today.

If you’re a Republican in South Dakota – Don’t stand with Democrats Jamie Smith, Tim Walz, and their new buddy Greg Jamison – go get on Christine Erickson’s website to donate and/or volunteer to help her bring this race home on June 23rd! 

UPDATE: For everyone going “but, but, the race is non-partisan..”

Sure it is. You just go on thinking that.

As Taylor Rehfeldt underlined her legislative dominance in the District, Tyler Tordsen recaptured his legislative seat last night from Tony Kayser in a rematch from 2024 which had Tyler emerging victorious this time around, reuniting the legislative team of Taylor & Tyler for District 14.

It’s in recount territory, but unless Leah Anderson badly borked up the results, they should stand just fine.

(In the Senate Larry Zikmund handily dispatched former legislator, former attorney, & former Minnehaha GOP Chair R. Shawn Tornow, so it looks like the entire gang is back together for District 14)

 

Remember when Josephine Garcia claimed to be endorsed by God?

I don’t think God missed that one either.

He could have smote her from the sky with a lightning bolt for her blasphemy. But he took a more subtle touch last night.

D4 was a bit odd to monitor this last night, as those house races went back and forth. And you could tell geography played a big factor in who won, as some counties went strong for their favored sons. But when it was all said and done, Ryan Kohl from Milbank was the victor followed closely by Fred Deutsch.

Kent Roe was in the hunt all night, but his advocacy for data centers might have caused him some headaches and shaved a few badly needed votes away.

Dylan Jordan should have never been there in the first place, and except for his home area of Deuel county, nobody wanted to bring back the legislator who signed pledges to have planes shot down.

Let that be an example to the new class coming into Pierre.  Stupid things win you stupid prizes.

Sleepy Carl Perry can go back to his nap. Al Novstrup can breath a sign of relief, and go back to his business in Sioux Falls. And no one in Aberdeen apparently wanted the idiot with the emu back.  In District 3, it was a complete clean sweep, with Katie Washnok absolutely shoving Carl Perry out the door on not much less than a 2-1 basis.

Long-time legislator Al Novstrup took a shove out the door as well, as his 24 years of legislative service came to an abrupt end. And in a move that surprised none, Nobody wanted Kaleb Weis, his wife or his emu in Pierre as they rejected his candidacy and staged bird escape on a 2-1 basis.

This represents a change from one of the most dysfunctional teams that last session also included one of the legislature’s worst, Brandei Schaefbauer, who sat this race out. (On a related note, Shad Olson was back in court yesterday having his Initial Appearance On A Probation Violation. A next status hearing is 07/09/2026 at 08:30 AM)

Aberdeen might be shocked, and not know how to act with competent legislators. But this will be interesting to watch.

Poor Phil Jensen. After last night, the SD Freedom Caucus is looking a bit lonelier after last night’s primary election:

Between retirements and moreso because they were thrown out of office by their electors, the Freedom caucus is no more. Unless, you count Phil Jensen barking at the moon.

• John “California” Carley? Gone.
• Dylan Jordan? Gone 
• White Boy Summer Logan Manhart? Gone. 
• Heather Baxter? Gone. 
• Tony Kayser? Unless he can come up with 50 votes in the recount, he’s gone as well. 

Five of the worst legislators are now attaching “former” to their legislative status in a major move to shift the House and Senate closer to sanity.

We’ll see if Phil can find a phone booth to have his meeting in next session. But not looking like they’re going to be sending out a lot of press releases anymore.

Sorry about the disappearing posts from late last night/early this AM. When swapping out some expired advertising, something got nuked, and I had to restore from backup.

Statement from Rep. Dusty Johnson

Sioux Falls, S.D. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued the following statement:

“It has been the honor of my lifetime to represent South Dakota in Congress these past eight years,” said Johnson. “While I am disappointed in the outcome, I am committed to helping Republican candidates get elected in November.”

Johnson will serve out the remainder of the 119th Congress, which ends January 2, 2027.

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