The battle lines for the hearts and minds of the South Dakota Republican Party are being drawn for what kind of Republican people want to identify as. Either you believe that Nazi’s are bad like House Majority Leader Will Mortenson, or you throw in with Toby Doeden, the person who built a rally around someone who is said to have described himself as one.

Doeden, who had never voted in a Republican Primary until this last June is claiming that “current state Republican leaders aren’t conservatives,” in connection with last night’s rally featuring alleged “black nazi” and porn site commenter Mark Robinson. And If you read one news story today, make sure that this is it.

South Dakota House Majority Leader Will Mortenson, R-Fort Pierre, condemned the event and called those hosting it non-Republicans.

“I spoke out against Nazis when they came to the Capitol this summer,” Mortenson said in a statement, referencing a June march in Pierre by a neo-Nazi group, “and don’t like them any better when they are in Sioux Falls. When you’re throwing a rally featuring a self-described Nazi, you’re not a Republican. You belong to a different party. There’s no room for Nazi sympathy in our party or in our state.”

Doeden considered but ultimately decided against challenging U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, in the June primary election. Doeden said he organized Tuesday’s event to celebrate the “America First conservatives” who won their June legislative primary elections, and to rally support for their general election campaigns.

Current state Republican leaders “aren’t conservatives,” Doeden alleged.

“They’re liberals that register as Republicans because they can’t get elected as Democrats,” he said. “These people are hacks. They’re clowns. They’re disgusting. I started my PAC to eradicate hacks like that from serving in the Legislature – period.”

and..

About 150 people attended the Sioux Falls event, including some Republican state lawmakers and legislative candidates.

GO Read that here.

Universally condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike, the Doeden PAC event still appeared to have several people there who should know better, but seem to be held in thrall by Doeden’s checkbook and are attempting to suck up. In fact, SD Searchlight captured a bevy of them on a video posted to the story.

I’m immediately picking out State Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer, as well as D1 House Candidates Chris Reder and Logan Manhart in the foreground. It also looks as if Al Novstrup and Carl Perry may be at that table as well.

Is this what some who run under the SDGOP have come to? To cheer on and rally for the worst elements of the far right?

Keep in mind, they are not there to support the candidates and the goals of the Republican Party. They are there to benefit Toby Doeden’s PAC. A Political Action Committee led by a man – whose views might not have appeared on a porn website chatboard like Robinson’s are said to come from – but one whose views seem to mirror Mark Robinson’s:

 While he was publicly considering a challenge to Johnson, reporters called attention to some of Doeden’s social media posts. He encouraged the shooting of immigrants in gangs, used a profane insult to describe President Joe Biden, and labeled statistics about hatred of Jewish Americans as “fake.”

Also read that in the story.

If we can take solace in anything, it would be that there is hope that people’s better angels will ultimately reject this kind of trash rhetoric. As demonstrated by hte fact that Robinson continues to plummet in the polls, as reported yesterday.

A new Washington Post poll now has Stein ahead 54 percent to Robinson’s 38 percent, while a poll from East Carolina University has Stein at 50 percent to Robinson’s 33 percent.

Read that here.

Update

Add Dylan Jordan (d4 candidate) and free-dumb caucus leader Aaron Aylward to the guest list of the event, as Jordan clucks with pride attending the event supporting the attack of Republicans.

And as noted, here’s a previously mentioned group standing with Toby Doeden..

And it looks like Brad “protection order” Lindwurm was proud to be at the black nazi rally, and took a bunch of photos.. Sorry, alleged black nazi rally..

I had heard Taffy was among the attendees..

I don’t know about you, but I had a productive lunch hour.

I was able to do some horse trading with a fellow collector of some duplicate buttons along with a few things I had tucked away, and I walked away very happy with some unique Pierre for Capital ribbons I did not have, including a large one that looks as if it would hang on something rather than be pinned to someone’s clothing.

I just wish I had more things he was interested in, as he had a number of other ribbons I would gladly add to my collection.

Literally, I don’t know if there is anything that interests me as much as the State Capital Fight textiles of the late 1800’s/Early 1900’s, as there’s an incredible variety of them, and they are very, very elusive to find.

My only problem now is that I’m somewhat out of room in my Pierre frame.

I think I’m going to need a bigger case.

Sounds like there will be some protesting tonight at Toby Doeden’s expensive zoom call with his buddy Mark Robinson. And as per our dumpster-fire friend, he needs to have people “come in from out of state to encourage conservative values:”

“If Mark Robinson wasn’t a black, prominent conservative that threatened the deep state in Washington, they wouldn’t be attacking him. Everything that has been reported about Mark, there has been no substantive proof,” said Doeden.

Doeden said Robinson and other speakers, like FBI whistleblower Garrett O’Boyle, need to come in from out of state to encourage conservative values.

“There aren’t a whole lot of true, America-first conservatives that are moving the needle nationally that could speak at an event like this and generate this kind of momentum,” said Doeden.

and..

The NAACP plans to hold a protest outside The District at 5:30 p.m. and invited others to “stand in solidarity with us against hate in South Dakota.”

Read the entire story here.

Toby needs people to come in from out of state to encourage conservative values?

Well, when you take as much free money from Uncle Sam as Toby does, maybe he feels he needs that kind of education on how to be a conservative.

Protest is at 5:30, if you’re so inclined.

From my mailbox, it looks like Dems see a weak link in D34 Senate Candidate Taffy Howard, with former Gubernatorial Candidate Billie Sutton appearing at an event on her opponent’s behalf.

Two Bulls makes bipartisan fundraising bid alongside Sutton, in race against Howard  

Rapid City, SD (Oct. 1, 2024) – Billie and Kelsea Sutton will be special guest speakers at an Arrowhead Country Club fundraiser hosted by a bipartisan group for Kehala Two Bulls’ district 34 South Dakota State Senate race against Taffy Howard.

Two Bulls has served 14 years in the world of nonprofits. For the last 8 years she has led the 7th Circuit CASA Program as the Executive Director, advocating for the needs of children in foster care in Rapid City, SD. In this role, Two Bulls has built a strong track record of collaboration and partnership between public and private industry. 

Kehala Two Bulls’ campaign platform prioritizes public education, child care, workforce development, and local businesses. She will support expansions and opportunities for small businesses in the district. She will protect family values by keeping the government out of healthcare decisions. She will fight for all people in district 34 over outside special interest groups.   

Two Bulls will hold a campaign fundraiser along Billie and Kelsea Sutton from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6th, at the Arrowhead Country Club at 3675 Sheridan Lake Road in Rapid City.  The media are invited to attend and she will be available to elaborate further on her plans to advance these, and many other critical issues in Pierre. 

According to court records, the long simmering charges from February against Shad Olson for domestic abuse aggravated assault/strangulation will continue to move forward on Friday in a status hearing that was delayed from August.

If you recall the last story in the matter from back in June from KOTA TV:

He is charged with domestic abuse aggravated assault/strangulation, for an incident in February of this year.

and..

The judge granted all motions heard including a motion of discovery for tangible evidence, a motion to disclose witnesses, a motion for expert testimony, and a motion for investigation.

Read the story here on KOTA News

The status hearing is currently scheduled for 8:30 AM on October 4th.

Congressman Dusty Johnson ‘s fundraising events are getting bigger and bigger in the run up to the fall election. And last night was no different with one of the largest host lists seen in recent years for a political fundraiser:

I’m counting 94 host couples at $2000 each, and 60 co-hosts at $1000 each. Plus key donors and attendees who aren’t on the list. That makes for a very packed room, and a massive haul for the Congressman who many believe may be running to be Governor in coming months.

A huge event, and unlike one person who was looking at challenging him for Congress, no self-declared nazis were invited.

Dusty’s actual Congressional opponent, Sheryl Johnson, is virtually invisible in the fall contest, and she’s not likely to be more than a speedbump at this point. Only a minor obstacle for a congressional campaign that will roar into the fall election, and begin the climb for a gubernatorial contest 2 years from now, much like his predecessor Governor Kristi Noem.

Stay tuned. Because Team Dusty has the wind at their back.

Minnehaha County Commission candidate Cole Heisey is convinced that it must be supporters of his former or current opponents who bent a couple of his yard signs, and *gasp* took one off the stand, and laid it on the ground next to it.   And as he declares to the Gods of wire and coroplast – Cole will be pursuing camera footage and pressing charges!

Is he sure it is supporters of past or current opponents? And not a roving pack of women who don’t care for Cole’s opinions on how monogamy is outdated?

I’m sure local police and the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney will put maximum effort and resources into those sign-bending vandals. And they shall rue the day!

I wasn’t sure how much more of a dumpster-fire the Doeden PAC event with alleged “black nazi” Mark Robinson could get. But they found a way. By god, they found a way.

Toby turned it into a $250 a head zoom call:

“He’s probably not going to be there because he needs to be in North Carolina, which is where he’s at, helping the folks that are affected by this hurricane, but he is going to be giving a prerecorded or a live message during the gala,” Doeden said Monday.

CNN reported on Sept. 19 that Robinson made offensive comments between 2008 and 2012 on a message board for a pornography website, with Robinson allegedly calling himself a “black NAZI” in addition to writing “Slavery is not bad.” Robinson has denied the allegations.

and..

“Who am I to judge from afar what somebody did or didn’t say 16 years ago in a chatroom,” Doeden said. “It’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.”

Read that here.

..what somebody did or didn’t say 16 years ago in a PORN chatroom… (there corrected it for him.)

$20,000 for the main sponsorship? Over $1000 to sponsor a table centerpiece? $250-$500 a head for tickets? For a zoom call with a candidate who utterly imploded, and has been nationally disavowed by EVERYONE.

Everyone that is, except Toby Doeden.

Well, I would be lying if I wished them good luck with that.

The South Dakota Polling Project (a.k.a the SDSU poll) is in the field right now through October 6 taking the measure on a number of election related questions.

The focus of the poll is mainly on the issue of abortion with 6 specific questions, and a few on vaccination, but also hits on Constitutional Amendments and Initiated Measures.  Interestingly, it does not ask about RL21.  They’re also asking about Dusty Johnson’s race, as well as asking favorability ratings on a number of topics.

We’ll hear about how it turned out later in the election.

From my mailbox:

Republicans for Freedom Amendment G: Self-Described ‘Black Nazi’ Mark Robinson in South Dakota to Raise Money to Defeat Abortion Rights, Visit Called ‘An Insult to Republicans’

Sioux Falls, SD… former GOP State Representative Casey Murschel, chair of Republicans for Freedom Amendment G, today called the upcoming South Dakota visit of North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson “an insult to every Republican in our state.”

“It is embarrassing and offensive to have a Republican group, Dakota First Action, celebrating Republican primary election victories by inviting an anti-woman misogynist to South Dakota,” Murschel said.

“It is doubly embarrassing and offensive to have a ‘2024 Victory Gala’ for Republicans that is obviously designed to raise money to oppose Freedom Amendment G featuring a man who openly calls himself a ‘Black Nazi’,” she added.

“This Mark Robinson gala is asking for donations of up to $20,000 per person. There are virtually no seriously contested legislative races in South Dakota this year. Every top Republican in the state has publicly opposed Freedom Amendment G. So where do you think these Robinson-raised dollars will go, to the tooth fairy?” Murschel asked. “No,” she said, “Robinson is in South Dakota to raise money for his favorite cause, banning abortion, and everybody knows it. He wants to help save the total abortion ban from Amendment G, which would repeal it.”

“South Dakota Republicans, from Noem and Thune on down, should repudiate this visit. On behalf of the tens of thousands of South Dakota Republicans who believe in personal freedom for women, we repudiate his visit and vehemently object to his raising money to prevent even women who have been raped from having the right to terminate their pregnancy,” Murschel said.

“You are known by the company you keep,” she added. “Robinson’s donors, staff, and even Donald Trump have stepped away from him. Not a good look for South Dakotans to embrace him.”“This whole sorry episode is the best reason I can imagine for Republicans to vote yes on G and show everyone that the personal freedom that Abraham Lincoln founded our party to preserve remains our core value today,” Murschel concluded.

###

Ugh. Why do they call Doeden’s Dumpster PAC a Republican group? They don’t claim us, and we Republicans certainly don’t claim them.