South Dakota Democrats have filed their latest FEC Report on activity within their federal account during the month of July.

And while they may not have fielded candidates in a race or two in their last convention, the candidates they do have may actually be able to count on financial support, because they have money in the bank:

August 2026 SDDP FEC Report by Pat Powers

According to the latest report, State Democrats are reporting $26,135.48 in contributions against $54,744.71 in expenses. Leaving them $115,162.29 to put towards their efforts.

There were a couple of interesting items I noticed.    Remember former legislator Nancy Turbak Berry telling us that political parties don’t work, so we should vote for Bengs?  If that’s the case, why is she getting out her checkbook for South Dakota Democrats?:

Granted, it’s an earmarked donation, but I’m just sayin.

I also learned Democrats spent $34.23 at Taco Bell.

Interestingly,  this is more than half-again as much as the $20 the people currently in charge of the South Dakota GOP raised in their federal account during the same period:

Maybe the people in charge of the GOP should open a taco stand? It would be an improvement over what they have been doing so far.

The Beaudion exit from the US Senate race and Beaudion’s column pointing a finger at Indy/Dem/Republican Brian Bengs continues to be a problem for the Bengs campaign.

This is as evidenced by yet another story about it circulating on facebook, this time from the Intellectual Dissatisfaction podcast, noting “Former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Julian Beaudion says he experienced threatening or intimidating conduct before withdrawing from the race.”

Beaudion isn’t backing down either, as he has recently written another column about Bengs pandering to voters by this former Democrat Candidate switching from referring to himself as an Independent and now pretending he’s somehow “a Teddy Roosevelt Republican:”

Brian Bengs is running on the ballot as an Independent. But recently, while campaigning in Aberdeen and in an interview on CNN, Bengs publicly described himself as a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican” while making clear that he is seeking Republican votes to defeat Senator Mike Rounds.

Is this the same Teddy Roosevelt Republican whose mother was a slave owner? Or the Teddy Roosevelt that campaigned on opposing slavery but not social or political justice or equality? The same Roosevelt who won the Presidential seat by debating that Black people were degenerates and that freedom made Blacks, the “White man’s burden?”

and..

Earlier in this campaign, Bengs talked about the importance of being Independent and escaping the constraints of the two-party system. He wrote that his Independent candidacy allowed him to engage Republicans, Democrats and Independents differently.

There is something to admire about political independence.

But independence should mean something more than removing the letter next to your name.

and…

If Democrats surrender their political identity every time they encounter difficult electoral terrain, eventually there won’t be much of a Democratic Party left to defend.

Read the entire story here.

It looks like not even Democrats are buying Bengs’ act of selling himself as a “pick-a-party” candidate.

 

Secretary of State Reaffirms Duty to Follow State Law

(Pierre, S.D.) – The South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office has not yet been formally served with the lawsuit filed in League of Women Voters v. Johnson.

The Secretary of State’s Office is responsible for implementing and administering the laws passed by the South Dakota Legislature. While the Office may not agree with every policy decision made by the Legislature, our responsibility is not to decide which laws to follow. Our responsibility is to carry out the law as it is written.

We must presume that legislation enacted by the Legislature is constitutional until a court determines otherwise. Until there is a court decision regarding the law at issue in this case, the Secretary of State’s Office will continue to administer it as required.

The Office will review the lawsuit once it is formally served and will comply with any direction issued by the court. Until then, we will continue to follow the law and fulfill the responsibilities placed on this Office.

For more information, please visit the Secretary of State’s website: https://sdsos.gov

Attorney General Jackley Announces Pierre Woman Sentenced for Defrauding South Dakota Medicaid Program

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a Pierre woman has been sentenced to a 10-year suspended prison sentence after earlier pleading guilty to one felony count of Grand Theft. She had been charged with defrauding the South Dakota Medicaid Program of more than $588,000 in federal and state funds.

Sharon Laraye Monson, 49, was sentenced Tuesday in Hughes County Circuit Court. As part of her sentence, she also will be on probation for 10 years and will pay $500,000 in restitution to the South Dakota Department of Social Services.

The Attorney General’s Office recommended a 10-year prison sentence with five of those years suspended.

“As Attorney General, I am committed to protecting taxpayers and their money,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This defendant’s actions stand in stark contrast to the integrity and dedication shown by the overwhelming majority of Medicaid providers in our state.”

Monson was the owner of At Home Nursing in Pierre and submitted the false claims to Medicaid. The charges occurred from May 1, 2018 to Jan. 1, 2024.

The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud, Abuse and Neglect Services Unit.

This release is provided in compliance with the federal Stevens Amendment: The South Dakota Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling approximately $1,033,972 for Federal Fiscal Year 2026. The remaining 25%, totaling approximately $334,656 for Federal Fiscal Year 2026, was funded by the State of South Dakota.

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From facebook, unsuccessful Congressional primary and losing School and Lands convention candidate James Bialota reminded people why he should never be considered for any office whatsoever. As Bialota takes to facebook to attempt to conflate Aberdeen rejecting flock cameras with Mayor Travis Schaunaman’s tragic parasail accident that injured he and his daughter, and cost the life of his son:

Seriously. Don’t consider him for anything. Ever.

After being denied admission to the White House as he hung under a cloud of felony charges, State Representative Travis Ismay has taken a plea bargain where he made an alford plea. That is, a type of guilty plea where a criminal defendant maintains their innocence but admits that the prosecution has enough evidence to convict them at trial.

In other words, he didn’t want to own up, but admitted the evidence is there to show that he’s a dope.

According to court records, Ismay was sentenced Friday to pay $1,750 in restitution and $78.50 in court costs after entering a plea of no contest to a charge of destruction of a highway, grade or ditch, while dropping his original felony charge.

In a joint press release, Butte County State’s Attorney Brian D. Knox and Ismay’s legal counsel, Tim Rensch, said the plea agreement saved both parties and the county the expense of a jury trial.

Read the entire story here.

Maybe now Ismay will realize that being a legislator does not include self-help on fixing county roads.

 

Seriously. You can’t make this stuff up.  Because the more you read, the more you wonder “Who the heck is Brian Bengs?”

We’re all baffled why Brian Bengs signed up for another butt-kicking in the U.S. Senate race. The soon-to-be two-time loser isn’t known among South Dakota voters and will essentially only get anti-establishment votes and anti-conservative votes.

Clearly, Bengs is desperate for attention and trying to court all voters by saying whatever it takes.  Case in point: in the last four years, he’s claimed to be a Democrat, Independent, and in the last week, he even claimed to be a Republican. You can’t make this stuff up!

Democrat: Bengs ran against Thune in 2022 as a Democrat and lost big time. (70-26%)

Independent: This time around, he’s running as an independent bad mouthing Chuck Schumer and even John Thune.

And now, he’s claiming he’s a Republican!  On August 16, Bengs ACTUALLY made the claim to CNN’s Inside Politics that he’s a Republican:

“I’m billing myself as a Teddy Roosevelt Republican.  Old School Republican”

But what Bengs isn’t saying is that he’s really more of a Democratic Socialist of America. He’s not going to say that out loud in South Dakota, but when you look at his statements on issues and the names of members in Congress that he wants to work with, it’s pretty clear.

PLUS, it’s the far-left’s playbook in 2026: run the crazies as “Independents” in red states like South Dakota and Nebraska telling people they’re “moderate,” and run the crazies as DSA in the blue states.

So, consider this your friendly reminder that when you get into the voting booth this November, the party affiliation next to Bengs doesn’t mean a damn thing.

Planting Seeds for South Dakota’s Future
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
August 21, 2026

 

BIG Update

Dakotafest celebrates the best of South Dakota agriculture. Every year, this event brings people together to learn about the techniques and technology that our producers use, and yes, the delicious food our producers work so hard to provide. It’s especially encouraging to see the next generation of South Dakota agriculture inspired by the equipment and conversations at Dakotafest.

I joined in on the fun to provide an update from Congress, including the status of the Farm Bill, the path toward year-round E15, and the producer-first policies we’ve already put into law. It’s important to hear directly from those working in the fields about the challenges they face and how policymakers can support their work. I also saw firsthand some of the technologies that are supporting producers today.

Johnson speaks with producers at Dakotafest in Mitchell

BIG Idea

Rural economic growth is powered by innovators, entrepreneurs, and builders. I joined the NorthWestern Energy Summit in Sioux Falls to discuss the importance of our shared commitment to growing South Dakota’s economy and investing in its future. The United States must continue to do big things, and South Dakota can play a leading role in our nation’s future. By encouraging investment and opportunity, we can strengthen South Dakota’s rural communities.

Johnson speaks at the NorthWestern Energy Summit in Sioux Falls

BIG News

The Rural Health Transformation Program, established through the Working Families Tax Cuts, set aside $50 billion to strengthen rural health care across America. This week, the administration announced South Dakota will receive $90 million to modernize health care technology, expand access to care, support tribal health options, and strengthen the rural health care workforce. I supported this program in Congress, and I’m glad to see these investments reach South Dakota’s rural communities to ensure families can access quality care. This investment will have a significant impact on the future of health care in our state.

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A Brighter Future for the Next Generation
By Sen. John Thune

It’s back-to-school time in South Dakota. Hallways and classrooms across our state are abuzz with students, from high school seniors thinking about what comes next to kindergartners just getting started. I’m wishing all of South Dakota’s students and their teachers the best as they start another school year.

The importance of a good education and its power to open new worlds and opportunities is something my parents – both public school educators – instilled in us Thune kids when we were growing up. And I’m proud that Republicans in Congress passed the Working Families Tax Cuts last year, which included a number of provisions designed to set the next generation up for success. Whether your son or daughter is just learning their ABCs or working on plans for after graduation, there’s something in this landmark legislation to help them.

For decades, the 529 education savings plan has been a powerful tool for parents to save for their children’s education. At first, a 529 account could only be used for college, but in 2017 Republicans expanded them to cover K-12 expenses too. Last year in the Working Families Tax Cuts, we expanded 529s again, allowing these savings to be used for homeschooling materials, tutoring, vocational training, and continuing education. On top of that, we doubled the withdrawal limit to $20,000 per year, giving even greater flexibility to parents.

Parents also now have another option for investing in their kids’ futures: Trump Accounts. These new tax-advantaged investment accounts are designed to give parents another tool to invest in their children’s futures beyond their education. The money can go toward education expenses, but it can also be used to buy a first home, start a business, or be converted into a retirement account in adulthood. Parents can opt-in to receive a $1,000 initial deposit from the federal government for kids born between 2025 and 2028, and several companies have offered to make contributions to the Trump Accounts of their employees’ children.

The Working Families Tax Cuts also created the new Workforce Pell grant program, which will provide financial support for shorter-term job training programs for in-demand jobs. This promising new program is available to those who are just starting their career as well as mid-career professionals or people looking to change careers. Workforce Pell provides hardworking people with the flexibility they need to pursue the opportunities that open the way to a brighter future.

I’m always impressed with South Dakota’s future leaders, whether it’s when I’m visiting a school, seeing them compete on the playing field, or talking with them in South Dakota or in Washington. Cultivating a brighter future for them is an important responsibility for me as a senator for our state. I’m proud of the work we did in the Working Families Tax Cuts to create more pathways to success, and I’ll continue working to strengthen the American Dream for the next generation.

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Revitalizing Small Towns
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
August 21, 2026

There’s something about a small town. You walk into a local restaurant, and they greet you by name. You know exactly what you’re going to order without opening the menu. You make small talk with the folks at the next table over about the kids or about the pastor’s sermon, and it’s easy conversation because you’ve known them for years. That’s the way of life that I grew up with.

But in recent years, our small towns have gotten smaller – too small in many cases. Those local restaurants and shops have been dying out. And in some places, the local hospitals and schools have followed suit. This seemed like a problem with no end in sight – until the COVID pandemic brought a surge of new folks to South Dakota. For the first time in decades, many of our small towns actually grew!

And now, the Rhoden-Venhuizen Administration is seizing on that momentum to make crucial investments in small town South Dakota.

It began with a couple key initiatives during the Noem-Rhoden Administration. South Dakota came out of COVID stronger than any other state because we were the only state that never shut down, and our strong economy led to record-breaking tax revenues. Well, we didn’t spend that money frivolously. We invested it wisely.

Over the last several years, we’ve invested nearly $400 million to wire every corner of South Dakota with high-speed broadband. Governor Janklow is famous for wiring our schools sooner than pretty much anywhere in the country – and we’ve gone far beyond that. Now, you can get high speed internet anywhere. And in the 21^st Century economy, that means that anyone can run a small business out of their living room, whether they’re in Sioux Falls or my hometown of Union Center. Too often, folks leave small towns because of loss of economic opportunity. That doesn’t have to be the case anymore.

And the single biggest investment of the Noem-Rhoden Administration was in local water projects. We invested over $900 million to modernize South Dakota’s water systems, and much of that investment went to small towns who desperately needed a revitalization. I’m proud to have been part of that effort.

My administration is carrying this revitalization of our rural communities forward. Here’s one thing I’m especially excited about: our Rural Health Transformation initiative.

We are building a stronger, more connected health care system for South Dakotans. In just the last few days, we announced an additional $90 million in grants to modernize technology in rural health care. These investments will modernize our health care and make sure more of our citizens can access the very best care while keeping their data secure.

This opportunity goes far beyond just our rural hospitals. We’re investing in dentists, mental health, and bringing health care professionals to rural communities. We’re giving these rural health systems access to opportunities like cybersecurity. And this isn’t a one-time flash in the pan – we received $189 million from the Trump Administration this year, and we’ll continue to see nearly a billion dollars over a five-year period.

The Rural Health Transformation initiative lays the foundation for healthier communities over the long term. More importantly, it helps revitalize our rural way of life. If folks can get the care they need in the small town they grew up in, why leave?

I will continue working to revitalize rural South Dakota. My team is already looking ahead to next legislative session and scoping out opportunities. I can’t wait to keep working hard for you!

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