Apparently there is a call for a special session from some of those involved in the Freedom Caucus, because they don’t have anything better to do than to send out speculative press releases:

A small group of eight Republicans are calling for a special session ahead of the Nov. 8 election to get lawmakers to vote on repealing the state sales tax on groceries.

The announcement Tuesday, headed by Phil Jensen (R-Rapid City), follows Gov. Kristi Noem’s public support of repealing the tax. Noem made the announcement during the last week of September, saying that if reelected, she would push legislators to repeal the tax during the 2023 session.

and..

The other seven lawmakers who are calling for the special session include: Senator-elect Tom Pischke (R-Dell Rapids), Sen. Julie Frye-Muller (R-Rapid City), Rep. Taffy Howard (R-Rapid City), Rep. Tony Randolph (R-Rapid City), Rep. Kevin Jensen (R-Canton), Rep. Steve Haugaard (R-Sioux Falls) and Rep. Arron Aylward (R-Harrisburg).

Read that here.

Outgoing State Rep. Taffy Howard is part of this group?  That means the big question to ask is whether Taffy would skip 14% of the votes as she did during the main run of the legislature this year, or if she’d skip all of it like she did during the special session on impeachment?

Or since there’s no way the Governor, Senate, or likely even the House is going to call a special session before the election, we can all wait until January when there’s a better chance of everyone showing up to vote on it.

Hot off the internet, here’s Senator Helene Duhamel in a video sponsored by the Pennington County GOP:

(And as much as I might chide them) PennCo GOP’s sponsorship of this is a good use of County Party resources to promote their candidates.

Something which would be easy for other counties to do for their own.

The people behind the SDSU Poll, who claim they match the most sophisticated methods of conducting a survey are on Public Broadcasting today claiming that their poll shows the Governor’s race has a tight margin. Unfortunately, their claims seems a bit ..dubious at best:

The race over who will live in the Governor’s Mansion is tightening less than four weeks before the Nov. 8 election, according to a poll released from South Dakota State University on Tuesday.

Gov. Kristi Noem, who’s running for her second term, against Democratic challenger Rep. Jamie Smith is leading the race 45% to 41%, with a margin of error of 4%, according to the SDSU Poll, which is part of the School of American and Global Studies at the university in Brookings. The poll also states 14% of voters have not yet decided.

Read the entire story here.

I can’t help but find the claims of a margin of only 4% between the two candidates questionable.  And let me explain why.

There hasn’t been much in terms of public polling being released about the race in general, which makes a lot of political junkies hot to hear what’s going on. But that doesn’t mean we should hoist the first carnival barker up as a confirmed truth-teller. I find wild claims about a close race pretty sketchy without more evidence. And I just don’t find it here.

The same SDSU poll throws a dart at another race in the State – the US Senate Race, where they make a claim of Thune leading in the US Senate race by 53% to 28%.  Why do I question it? Again, it seems slanted ridiculously low against the Republican candidate.

In 2016, Senator Thune completely smashed Jay Williams on a 72%-28% vote. Yet 6 years later a poll is released showing the Senator down a significant amount from those prior results by nearly 20% against Brian Bengs, a candidate who Democrats barely acknowledge, and who has had only a negligible campaign presence which even Jay Williams had eclipsed 6 years ago by this time?  I think they woefully underestimate the vote.

Especially since they give themselves an “out” by claiming “When undecided Republicans are ultimately forced to choose, negative partisanship makes it highly unlikely that they would vote for Democrat Brian Bengs.”  Am I the only one who thinks this stated caveat is their way of claiming oops, “negative partisanship” is why we were way off is a bit of a cop out that they will fall back on when the actual results show a distinct difference?

When we fall back on results we do know, there seems to be a lot of difference to what information we’re gleaning from other places.

Earlier today, we heard from the Morning Consult group about how popular Governor Noem is in South Dakota, with a job approval rate of 57%.  So when a poll being conducted about the same time makes the claim that she’s only up from her Democrat opponent by 4 points, you can’t help but to question it.

In a little insider information I’m hearing, Voter ID calls to non-Republican recipients are showing hard percentages in favor of Governor Noem which exceed anything we’re hearing in the SDSU poll. Add that to the overwhelming support she enjoys from Republican voters, and while everyone anticipates the race will narrow, it doesn’t resemble anything that correlates with the SDSU numbers, even beyond their caveat that they “expect that a majority of these undecided respondents will break toward the governor.”

Why are these numbers so weird? Well, one thing you have to look at is the SDSU Poll’s methodology.

To do the polls, the researchers purchased a data file with the addresses of every registered voter in South Dakota from the Secretary of State. They randomly choose from that list and send letters inviting voters to go to the Question Pro website and enter the identification number listed in the letter to take the survey online.

“We are the only poll (in the state) that uses this particular method,” said Wiltse, pointing out most polls are telephone surveys.

Read that here.

They’re basing these results on an on-line survey?  Given who uses the internet, I have a strong feeling that these results skew very young. And that’s going to have a big effect. According to the US Census..

Voter turnout also increased as age, educational attainment and income increased. Voter turnout was highest among those ages 65 to 74 at 76.0%, while the percentage was lowest among those ages 18 to 24 at 51.4%.

Read that here.

A poll using a response mechanism that’s most likely to be used by the youngest group (who votes the least) and unused by the oldest group (who votes the most) is skewing to the left?  How many seniors do you know who respond to on-line surveys?  As I inexorably crawl through my 50’s, I’m not even nice to telephone solicitors anymore, much less finding myself wanting to waste my time with an on-line survey.  The methodology alone raises significant doubt in my mind about the accuracy this poll to gauge election results.

Sorry, but I’m not buying what they’re selling. Because a lot of it seems tenuous, especially since all of their results come with a setup where they can shift the blame to “negative partisanship.”

Just a short time after running on the Democrat ticket for President, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is leaving the Democrat Party:

I can no longer remain in today’s Democratic Party that is now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue & stoke anti-white racism, actively work to undermine our God-given freedoms, are… pic.twitter.com/oAuTnxZldf

— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) October 11, 2022

Morning Consult has dropped their new ranking of Governors out there today as we wind down the days until the election. And in the bad news for Jamie Smith Department, even after months of bruising attacks against her, Governor Noem still ranks as the 17th most popular Governor in the nation, with an approval rating of 57%

NEW: Most Americans still like their governors — only 8 have less than 50% approval ratings.

Our latest quarterly ranking: https://t.co/6QGN1lcRRf pic.twitter.com/BiSBqPB5eb

— Eli Yokley (@eyokley) October 11, 2022

Kristi for Governor Launches New Ad: “Girls Dream”

PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA – Yesterday, the Kristi for Governor campaign launched a new ad called “Girls Dream.” The ad features Riley Gaines, a twelve-time All-American female swimmer who was forced to compete against a biological male at the NCAA National Championships.

“I’ve worked hard to accomplish my dream, becoming a twelve-time All-American swimmer. But for girls across America, that dream is being stolen by men competing in women’s sports,” Riley Gaines says in the ad. “And the extreme left supports it, like Jamie Smith… he even voted in favor of it, jeopardizing girls’ sports. Kristi Noem stood up for us, passing the toughest law in the country to defend female sports. I trust Governor Noem to fight for girls across South Dakota.”

Earlier this year, Governor Kristi Noem signed the toughest law in the nation to protect fairness in girls’ sports, SB 46. It was the first bill that she signed in 2022. Jamie Smith, the Governor’s opponent, voted against that bill in the state legislature.

Riley Gaines has previously declared that she felt “extreme discomfort” when she was forced to share a locker room with a biological male.

###

Flags at Half-Staff at State Capitol in Honor of Former State Attorney General Gordon Mydland

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem ordered that flags at the State Capitol be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Tuesday, Oct. 11, in honor of long-time public servant Judge Gordon Mydland of Lake Preston.  He served as a state senator from 1963-1968, as South Dakota Attorney General from 1969-1973 and then as 3^rdCircuit Court Judge from 1973-1987.

Funeral services for Judge Mydland will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11, at Johnson-Henry Funeral Home in Arlington, S.D.

###

Sad news from Watertown, but no one can deny that Gordon Mydland had more than a good run in life, and had a lifetime of service first as a State Senator in the 1960’s, as South Dakota Attorney General from ’69-73, and later a Circuit Court Judge for another 14 years until his retirement.

Gordon J. Mydland, 100 of Lake Preston, SD died peacefully on October 6, 2022 at The Neighborhoods at Brookview Nursing Home in Brookings, SD. Gordon was born on May 12, 1922 near Hetland, SD to Jacob and Anna Mydland. He graduated in 1940 from Lake Preston High School and briefly attended Augustana College before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1942, and serving in World War II in the South Pacific. Gordon graduated from South Dakota State College in 1947, and opened a music store in Brookings with his cousin, Robert Madsen and later owned another music store in Pierre, SD. In 1956 he received his law degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion where he met Esther Lorraine (Lorrie) Grange, they were married May 29, 1958. Gordon opened a private law practice in Brookings, eventually becoming State’s Attorney for Brookings County. Gordon and Lorrie welcomed a son, John Gabriel (Gabe) Mydland in 1961. Gordon continued his long tenure in public service first as a State Senator in the SD Legislature from 1963 to 1968, the elected SD Attorney General and served from 1969 to 1973, and then appointed Circuit Court judge for the 3^rd Judicial Circuit based in Brookings from 1973 until his retirement in 1987.

and..

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, October 11^th at 10:30am at Johnson-Henry Funeral Home in Arlington, SD. Interment to follow at Lake Whitewood Lutheran Church.

Read the memorial here.

Gordon served South Dakota tremendously well, a tradition his son Gabe took with him into the Mickelson Administration where he served for many years.

Please keep the Mydland family in your prayers.

In case you haven’t seen the commercial opposing Initiated Measure 27 that’s currently running on TV, I just had it sent over to me for your viewing pleasure:

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, in celebration of Native American Day, Governor Kristi Noem issued the following statement:

“For South Dakotans, the second Monday in October, is recognized as Native American Day. In 1990 South Dakota was the first state in the nation to establish Native American Day as an official state holiday. This difference from the rest of the nation is one of the many reasons why this state is so special.

“Native American Day recognizes the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota people that have shaped, and continue to contribute, to South Dakota’s rich history.

To recognize this important aspect of South Dakota history and culture, I designated Seven Council Fires as the official indigenous language of the state. This is also known by treaty as the Great Sioux Nation, comprised of three dialects, Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota. I did this by signing Senate Bill 126 into law in 2019. This year, I also signed House Bill 1196, which designated the traditional flute as the official state indigenous musical instrument of South Dakota.

“The “Stronger Families Together” initiative continues to strengthen our state through foster families. Children deserve to grow up in a home that reflects their culture and values. I have placed a specific importance on recruiting more Native American foster families, so that Native American children can be placed with families that nurture cultural continuity.

“Just last month, Fort Pierre hosted that Horse Nation Indian Relay Council’s 2022 Championship of Champions. Events like this encourage public awareness of tribal culture and history. The SD Department of Tourism and my Office of Economic Development sponsored $50,000 in grants to support the future of Horse Nations Indian Relay events in South Dakota.

“In celebration of Native American Day, I encourage people to reflect on the importance of Native American history and culture in our state.”

###