The Safe, Strong and Free PAC pre-dates Governor Rhoden’s gubernatorial announcement, but that didn’t stop the group from getting the show on the road to start raising money for the Governor’s effort to retain the office he is currently sitting in.

How much did they raise and from who?  You can read for yourself below:

Strong Safe and Free PAC by Pat Powers

There are a number of big donors on this list including the Gov’s sister in-law Trish Murphy ($8,000), Wilson Persinger of Dakota Dunes ($5,000), Former State GOP Chair Craig Lawrence ($5000), Scott Doll of Waubay ($5000), Barry Burgess of Rapid City ($6,500), Henry Carlson ($10,000), Mike Derby ($10,000), Hani Schafai ($5000), Matt McCaulley ($5,000). Arch Beal ($4000), and Harry Christianson ($10,000), among others.

Donors raised a total of $155,753.61, but then shifted $141,500 directly to the Rhoden for Governor campaign for inclusion in their total for 2025.

After other expenses, that leaves a little over $2700 to continue the effort in 2026.

Well, this is kind of a weird report.  What is it telling us? Toby Doeden likes to spend money.

Do Eden Report by Pat Powers

Toby Doeden’s campaign finance report is in.. albeit a little late, as it’s dated for 5:23pm.. and really, it’s about like Jon Hansen’s somewhat weak campaign finance report.  In fact, he couldn’t even raise as much as Jon Hansen. Except for that loan.

Doeden raised $982.16 in unitemized donations, and $100,633 in itemized from a cast of characters. He grabbed another $1600 from others. For a gubernatorial race? Meh.  There is NO grassroots support in this campaign. It’s Toby getting out his checkbook and playing pretend.

Over $20k of the $100k came from those whose last name is Doeden.  Why do I think there are others on the list who are related, or have a business relationship with him?  (Update: I’m told there are another $16k from family members to add to that total).    Although, I do see $4k from self-annointed “world class drinker” and “man’s man,” Luke Blindert.

Toby loaned his campaign $2,015,744.30. And then he spent money like a drunken sailor. That 2 million dollar loan? He spent that and most of what he raised, leaving him $41,091.80. But don’t take my word for it. Read the report yourself.

If that’s indicative of how Toby Doeden would run state government, we’re all in big trouble if we even think a Doeden option is viable.

On the heels of the Freedom caucus whining about Phil Jensen’s expulsion from the House Republican Caucus, I’ve been hearing about many rumors regarding the defection of others from the private group meeting before session to discuss strategy on legislation.

And maybe nowadays, it’s less about strategy and more about trying to keep the troops in line as the largely Toby Doeden aligned – freedom caucus members are bristling at being told what to do by Jon Hansen, who seems mainly concerned with not having his rule disintegrate into chaos that shows itself on the House floor.

Because too much rebellion – and in a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend – opposed factions could easily join forces and boot Hansen from being Speaker right in the middle of his campaign for Governor. (And Hansen would have to have that speaker title clipped off of the little embroidered “Hansen for Governor” jacket he wears around.)

So what am I hearing out there from legislators in and out of the GOP Caucus?  Cautioning this is a lot of rumor and conjecture..

• RUMOR 1: There is talk that the Democrats will sign a complaint against Phil Jensen, which will start a legal process where committees will be formed & hearings will be held. I’m told It only takes five signatures and there’s five Democrats.  Sending the house into 2 or 3 days of public hearing over what a complete dick that Phil Jensen is could be kind of fun to watch. Especially with his wife serving as vice-chair of the SDGOP, and Phil’s control as chair of the freedom caucus. This could ruffle a lot of feathers.
• RUMOR 2: Hearing more about Dylan Jordan getting in trouble over his whiny “Minnesota Education Committee” comment over legislation yesterday. I don’t think this is over, and Dylan’s defiance isn’t helping him.
• RUMOR 3: During the discussion over disciplining Phil Jensen yesterday, I’m told several legislators walked out of caucus. I’ve heard Tina, Ismay, Manhart, Jordan, Aylward.. My correspondents didn’t know if it was purely protest, as there are also people sitting out because of the Capitol Crud going around.

Again, and I would caution you – this is a lot of gossip at the moment, and some tales may be growing as they travel farther down the line.  But it all seems to point back to the GOP House Caucus seeming like more zoo-like than anything.

Not really the image that caucus leaders probably want when one of them is trying to keep his bid for Governor afloat.

The South Dakota Freedom (aka Free-dumb) Caucus chaired by State Representative Phil Jensen sent out a press release today claiming that Phil himself was kicked out of the House Republican Caucus today:

Today, the South Dakota House Republican Caucus removed one of its own members, Representative Phil Jensen, following a complaint raised by Democrats during House floor debate on Senate Concurrent Resolution 604 (SCR 604).

and..

According to reports from numerous members, Representative Jensen was asked not to attend today’s caucus meeting and was formally removed from the House Republican Caucus due to his comments.

(I’m not going to post the rest of their silliness)

This comes after Phil’s removal from the House Education Committee several days ago, and his removal as vice-chair from the same committee last year after his attacks on the Huron School District.

Of course, Phil Jensen’s list of his instances of being a jackass is many, many-years long. Because, after dodging the draft, and asking that some doctors are able to be legally killed, talking about how you can tell someone’s race by the shape of their skulls, among other things, it’s just shocking that it took them this this long to do so.

This comes just a couple of years after Julie Frye-Mueller was notably absent from the Senate GOP Caucus over that whole breastfeeding harassment thing, and the Free-dumb caucusers complaining shortly thereafter about Tom Pischke being booted from the Senate GOP Caucus for demanding that his fellow Republican Senators be arrested.

Stay tuned. I’m sure there will be more whining that he’s out of the Republican caucus. Although, Phil still has his own caucus to hang out in.

Sioux Falls Mayoral Candidates have their campaign finance reports in, with the exception of Greg Jamison who announced after January 1.

And if we’re not counting a candidate who is largely self-finding to date, we have a clear winner in the contest for popular support in what she’s been able to raise. Yes, she. The one who isn’t a middle-aged guy.  Because Christine Erickson is managing to pull together the most financial support in the run-up to the June 2 election, and arguably the broadest base of voters.

Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on Hand	Notes
Jamie Smith	$53,713.39	$37,292.53	$51,855.82	X-ferred $44,667.50 from previous accounts
Marshall Selberg	$15,754.10	$11,402.52	$4351.58
Joe Batcheller	$70,660.00*	$4,943.09	$65,716.91	*Includes $33,230 from PAC w/20k from  Batcheller family
David Zokaites	$805	0	$805
Christine Erickson	$103,070.55	$22,864.01	$80,206.54
Greg Jamison				No Report Due Began campaign in 2026

 Democrat-default candidate Jamie Smith in search of his next job started with $35,434.96 in his campaign account from his prior report. But his previous report is where you’ll find that he pulled $44,667.50 from all the people who wanted him to be the Democrat nominee for Governor, etc, with a good chunk of that carried over. The newest report has him burning through 70% of what he raised during the latest period, and his cash on hand represents what’s left over from this report and the last one.

Marshall Selberg moves forward with $4300.. only slightly better than David Zokaites’ $805.  When that’s the space you’re occupying in the race, I’m not sure that this is a comparison a serious candidate wants.

Joe Batcheller has the second highest amount on hand, but we’re not seeing a lot of breadth in his support. If you get past the Batcheller’s and the Kirby’s.. it’s not a terribly long list for a city of 300,000 people. On the main report, Batcheller clan is in for $9050. Kirby’s are in for $2500.

1_30_2026_ Committee to Elect Joe Batcheller Campaign Finance Disclosure Report Joe Batcheller by Pat Powers

But if you get to the PAC they’re using to blast the big bucks in (or at least make them tougher to find), Dan Kirby is in for another $10k, and people with the last name of Batcheller add another $20k to the kitty.

SiouxperPAC sdcfdisclosure by Pat Powers

If you’ve raised $70k for your campaign, and your family has put in 40% of it, and a buddy and their family has put in close to another 20%.. That’s 2 families putting in 2/3 of the cash. That’s not a wide river.

Christine Erickson’s report has what you want to see that some of the other reports are lacking – lots of individual donors, and many are not putting in eye-popping amounts. Just what you would raise from a lot of average joe’s getting up and writing a check.  There’s as many $125 and $250 donors as there are $1000 donors. It’s a broad base of support, and that’s what it takes to win an election. (Especially an election that is at the level of many state races, due to Sioux Falls’ population):

1_30_2026_ Christine for Sioux Falls Campaign Finance Disclosure Report Christine Erickson by Pat Powers

A check for the campaign does not just mean a vote for you – it means they’re a committed vote. And they’ll go to work.

There’s lots of campaign to go in the Sioux Falls Mayoral race, and Mayoral hopeful Greg Jamison has yet to show his cards in the race (you can find his legislative filing for 2025 here, with $11k on hand).

Stay tuned for more in the contest!

There was much seat squirming by State Representative Dylan Jordan in House Education today.

Probably because his rear-end was good and chapped about his final House bill of the session. As once again – you will find typical for his legislation – his bill was killed in committee because it’s a stupid idea that he spoke to no one about before he dumped it into the hopper.

His bill, HB 1133 to remove an enhanced permit as a condition of carrying a concealed pistol while on the campus of a public institution of higher education was widely opposed and shot up as many giving testimony feared college students would be if they passed his legislation.

Where are all of DJ Jazzy Jordan’s bills so far this session?

Every single bill failed… except for the one bill he withdrew.   The only thing left is a toothless resolution still pending which may find itself sharing the same fate.

And Rep. Jordan was not happy about his final bill being killed today. On a following bill that was being sent to the 41st day (HB1129), Jordan was just downright pissy.

He introduced a substitute “do pass” motion, which failed for lack of a second.  In response, like a petulant child, Dylan Jordan chirped up and said that “I didn’t realize I was in the Minnesota Education Committee.”   A point of order was called, and I’m told that after adjournment, Assistant Majority Leader Marty Overweg came up to have a talk with Jordan over his attitude.  (Jordan denies this on social media, but it was witnessed that there was a discussion with a member of leadership over the incident, maybe not him. The talking to may yet be coming).

Facing a crowded House primary in District 4 this year, Jordan’s record of failure after failure, coupled with acting like a child, is not going to provide him a record to run on.

In fact Dylan Jordan may have earned himself a record that he’s going to have to run from.  All the way back to his grandma’s house.

Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen had a post on Facebook tonight in response to Gubernatorial candidate Toby Doeden, who should be congratulated for participating in his first gubernatorial primary ever. It’s his first time both in voting for a Republican candidate for Governor in a primary, and running at the same time as well.

Like a baboon in a cage, Doeden grabbed something off the floor, and lobbed one of his typically vague missives, this one criticizing the legislature for not solving the property tax problem.

Tony stepped up to the plate, and intimated to wannabe Doeden that there’s no time like the present – so he should step up to the plate with more than talk:

Toby Doeden:     Politicians Suck…..  very few of them have done anything to address the issues the actually make people’s lives easier. (Yadda, yadda on property taxes.)

Lt. Governor Venhuizen:  It would really benefit this discussion if Toby Doeden would put his proposal into a bill…   I’m sure one of his supporters in the legislature would be happy to sponsor it for him.

It must be awfully confusing for Toby, since he’s not used to participating in the political process.  He apparently doesn’t understand that when you’re a candidate for Governor, and you say that something is a problem should be solved, there is actually an expectation that the candidate is supposed to bring their solution.

Of course, that’s been pretty standard operating procedure for Doeden during the entire campaign. Complain about an issue. Say that someone ought to fix it, or we get a vague line that he’ll fix it.  But then the details never seem to come.

I’m not holding my breath that one of Toby Doeden’s free-dumb caucus minions will introduce his plan to fix everything. Because I have no doubt that he has any actual plan to solve our state’s problems. Just Toby’s list of empty promises for the campaign trail.

With Toby Doeden there’s always a lot of complaining about the problems of South Dakota, but never any solutions. Just a man without a plan.

And we get to see why some people say that politicians suck.

Angi Hanzlik Announces State House Campaign

CHAMBERLAIN, S.D. — Angi Hanzlik, a small business owner, Navy veteran, and community leader, announced today that she is running as a Republican candidate for the South Dakota House of Representatives in District 26B. Hanzlik’s campaign will officially launch on February 2, 2026, ahead of the Republican primary on June 2, 2026.

“I’m incredibly excited to announce my candidacy for House of Representatives,” said Hanzlik. “I love this state and my community, and I look forward to earning your support.”

After serving 20 years in the United States Navy, Hanzlik and her family chose Chamberlain as the place to put down roots and raise their young family. Over the past 11 years, she has become deeply involved in the community through local leadership, volunteerism, and entrepreneurship.

“South Dakota is where my family found a true sense of home, and District 26B is where I’ve spent the last 11 years giving back to the community that welcomed us.” said Hanzlik.

With this House seat opening due to term limits, Hanzlik felt now was the time to step forward and serve. She is running to be a thoughtful, collaborative voice who listens first and works to strengthen the economy, support local communities, and create opportunities for the next generation.

Hanzlik has served on the Chamberlain Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, volunteered within the schools, and taken on leadership roles in both Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America. In 2017, she purchased a building on Main Street, further investing in the vitality of downtown Chamberlain.

In 2020, Hanzlik co-founded Berry + Basil, a small business that has created new opportunities and strengthened connections across the region. Through this work, she was asked to be on the South Dakota Retailers Association Board of Directors and completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. These experiences provided her with firsthand insight into how state and federal policy decisions impact small businesses, workers, and communities.

As a candidate, Hanzlik says her priorities include supporting economic growth, education, and being a strong advocate for the needs and voices of District 26B.

“I believe good leadership starts with listening,” Hanzlik said. “I want to work collaboratively to solve problems and ensure our district has a strong, practical voice in Pierre.”

For more information or contributions, visit AngiHanzlik.com or on Facebook

Congressman Dusty Johnson posted his congressional campaign report to the FEC yesterday. And as hinted, it teases the depths of the resources that Dusty has available to throw at the 2026 South Dakota gubernatorial campaign.

While after consolidating all of the money in his committees under his main campaign account, Governor Larry Rhoden filed a report noting resources of around $512,000 in the hunt for campaign cash. Yet in his main federal account his chief opponent Dusty Johnson dwarfs his campaign’s fundraising ability by a factor of ten.

Dusty Johnson FEC Report 4q 2025 by Pat Powers

$386,578.26 in receipts into Friends of Dusty Johnson, against minor expenses of $5121.93. Leaving Congressman Johnson $5,582,908.98 just hanging around in that federal account checkbook that he can transfer to his Gubernatorial campaign with a moment’s notice.

These campaigns are going to change significantly over the coming months as they switch from a quiet mode to a more amplified state. And a lot will depend on the resources they have to sustain them in their efforts. And whether it is in terms of manpower to knock on doors or financial reserves to press a message forward to the people of South Dakota, it is more than clear that the Dusty Johnson campaign lacks neither.

Saddling Up for the Black Hills Stock Show
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
January 30, 2026

The Black Hills Stock Show kicks off this weekend in Rapid City, and there’s no event that captures the spirit of South Dakota quite like it. Each year, the Stock Show brings people together for world-class rodeos, concerts, vendors, and fellowship. It’s a true celebration of our ag heritage and the hardworking folks who make our state great. I’ll be at the Stock Show this weekend and next, and look forward to visiting with folks from across South Dakota and the region.

I value the conversations I have with producers about their work to feed and fuel the world. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I’ve been focused on supporting our producers, especially through uncertain times. I’m excited to share with producers that nearly 80% of the Farm Bill was included in the Working Families Tax Cuts, reauthorizing critical programs that support producers across the country.

I’ve been consistently ranked among the most effective members in Congress on agricultural issues, and it’s due in large part to the face-to-face conversations I have with producers at events like the Stock Show.

President Trump recently reaffirmed his support for year-round E-15, and I’m leading the charge to get a deal for the president to sign. Allowing the nationwide sale of year-round E-15 helps our farmers and gives consumers a cheaper, cleaner choice at the pump.

I’ve also heard concerns about China buying American farmland which is why I’ve championed efforts in Congress to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from making these purchases. Trade continues to be a concern for many, and I’ve been working to ensure fair and robust market access for South Dakota exporters. My bill to reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission – the entity that ensures safe passage for American ag imports and exports – passed the House in December 2025.

I am proud to represent South Dakota’s producers in Washington. If you’re heading to the Black Hills Stock Show this weekend, be sure to say hello – I’d love to visit with you.

Johnson at the Stock Show in Rapid City

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