I think we know who will be dropping out of the race for Governor first.

State Representative Jon Hansen just posted a report that might be encouraging when you’re a candidate for the State Legislature, but whoof.

This tells you where his campaign is at:

Jon Hansen 2025 EOY Report by Pat Powers

Hansen was able to pull in $188,771 from his allies and the Pizza Ranch circuit.. but check out this burn rate – He’s spent $134,878.01 already. He should have skipped wrapping the camper, because all he has to go into 2026 with is $53,893.97. Who on earth thinks this is sustainable? Jim Eschenbaum?

Just think about it – he’s walking into the next several months with 1/10th of what Governor Rhoden is reporting. One-tenth.

This isn’t a political campaign. This is a campaign headed to the trauma unit, because it’s bleeding out.

Maybe he has cash coming from a dark money PAC or something? But from the looks of it, this poor showing would send most people home.

Governor Larry Rhoden filed his campaign finance report for 2025 this afternoon, showing his cards on the campaign effort he’s been able to run to date in his pursuit to keep the job he’s doing now.  It’s an interesting mix of funding, and well worth the time to go through the report:

Larry Rhoden 2025 EOY Report by Pat Powers

The Governor reports having 1/2 a million in his Gubernatorial campaign account; showing $491,285.87 in income against $70,593.75 in expenses, leaving him an ending balance of $511,815.93. But something caught my eye on this report. It is showing income from Rhoden’s other committees transferred in to increase what his main committee has in it’s account.

In this report, they pulled in and used the $142,500 that the Strong, Safe & Free PAC raised,

AND $85,500 that his super PAC Raised..

..totalling $229,000.

so the main Rhoden for Governor committee actually only raised $282,815.93, and these separate arms of the campaign raised the rest.

Nothing shabby, but to get the true picture of what the Governor has to invest in campaign 2026, we need to review those other reports and see if they have any remaining funds.

In comparison to Safe, Strong & Free, Congressman Dusty’s PAC has $1 million on hand. And to Rhoden’s Gubernatorial report, Dusty for Governor has 1 million on hand (with some moved from Congressional campaign), Plus everything in his federal accounts, which with his state fundraising has him running at about $8 million all in, with a long runway to raise more.

Governor Rhoden has a reasonable start with this seed money, but he’s going to have to invest this to build his kitty much further.

It seems that the hard right is pulling out all the stops this year, and is at the point where they’re going to throw everything against the wall.
State Representative Tony Randolph is joined by some of his fellow freedumb caucus members, as they attempt to remove any compassion from South Dakota’s laws on abortion, and to throw women who have one in jail:

Republican Rep. Tony Randolph introduced House Bill 1212, which seeks to remove the section in South Dakota Codified Law that states “A female who undergoes an unlawful abortion, … may not be held criminally liable for the abortion.”

and..

Women are currently not held criminally liable for receiving an abortion, only the medical provider who performs or induces the abortion is liable.

This bill would change that and could make women liable and subject to felony charges in order to “strengthen protections for unborn children,” the bill says.

Read the entire story here.

Who are the legislators who want to throw women in jail?

Rep. Tony Randolph might be the prime sponsor, but he’s joined and supported by Rep. Aylward, Rep. Josephine Garcia, Rep. Phil Jensen, Rep. Dylan Jordan, Rep. Logan Manhart, Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer, Senator Tom Pischke, as well as Senate Prime Sponsor John “California” Carley.

Is this where we are in the South Dakota legislature? We finally pass a law to update our prison system, and we have goofball legislators who spend their time rabidly trying to come up with proposals to fill them?

In 2023, House Bill 1220, a measure was brought to clarify that a pregnant woman who receives an “unlawful abortion” will not be held criminally liable.  In fact, South Dakota Right to Life signed off on the measure acting with compassion towards women.

All the proponents, from Sen Jessica Castleberry, R-Rapid City who sponsored HB 1220, to the Governor’s Office and Attorney General’s Office, and South Dakota Right for Life, agreed women who seek abortions are victims themselves.

“We can continue to create policy to protect unborn children, but we can also create policy to not further harm abortion vulnerable women,” Castleberry said.

and..

Sen. Erin Tobin, R-Winner, questioned Dale Bartscher, the executive director for South Dakota Right to Life, during the hearing, pointing to a letter he had handed out with a highlighted section, addressing the psychological and physical harm a pregnant woman may suffer after she has an abortion.

“Do you think that there’s a place in the future to look at the health of the mother, because that would also affect physical and psychological damage to that mother?” Tobin said. “Is that something that Right to Life would be willing to work on?”

“Right to Life definitely will continue to collaborate with anyone on issues of the protection of the mother and the baby in the mother’s womb,” Bartscher said.

Read the entire story here.

Many of the legislators who were there as sponsors for the legislation in 2023, are still in the legislature, and some newer members intersect with others:

John “California” Carley was a campaign opponent to one of HB 1220’s legislative sponsors Rep. Chaffee in the last election. Rep. Dylan Jordan who is a sponsor of the new legislation trying to put women in jail is being opposed in the upcoming election by another 2023 HB 1220 sponsor, former State Rep. Fred Deutsch.

Fred, in regarding one of Jordan’s other proposals once referred to Rep. Dylan Jordan as “kooky, wrong and dangerous.”  I think with this bill, he can add lacking compassion to the list of Jordan’s many shortcomings.

Interestingly when the vote for 1220 was held back in 2023, for the legislators who have been hanging out since then and are now seeking to put women in jail, Tom Pischke was out of the chamber and excused.  Other sponsors did cast a ballot.  Randolph, Aylward, and Phil Jensen all voted against compassion and consideration at the time.

Also at the time, Rep. Schaefbauer was part of the group that voted to pass HB1220 against criminalizing women who seek an abortion. Yet 3 years later, Brandei has joined the hard-right group who want to put women in jail and tattoo them with a scarlet letter and a jail sentence.

How times change.

“..people are funding candidates now instead of just throwing all the money to the state or state party. And I am perfectly OK with that. We don’t need any more money thrown to the state GOP than what we need to operate.”  – Jim Eschenbaum, SDGOP Chair, SD Searchlight, April 13, 2025

The South Dakota Republican Party had their 2025 year end report posted today, and within there are some interesting points to bring up in context to the overall collapse of the organization, and how when you put in charge a former 32-year Democrat who claimed from the onset that they don’t need money, they’re not going to have an easy time raising it.

First, read the report(s) for yourself:

SDGOP2025EOYReport by Pat Powers

SDGOP 2025 EOY Report Supplement by Pat Powers

There are some red flags and danger signs to take away from this report.

 

A high burn rate and no ability to do fundraising

First, after subtracting total expenses from their total income – their net – what was left over – was $34,247.72.  They had literally an 80% burn rate for their cash. But what’s one primary difference between Eschenbaum and his predecessors?  Go back to Eschenbaum’s inaugural interview:

And we’ve already taken $77,000 out of the annual operating costs of the state GOP. Reggie Rhoden, Governor Rhoden’s son, was executive director and he was being paid $5,400 a month. He resigned at the meeting on February 22, when we did the elections. And we have decided thus far that we don’t need an executive director. Nobody knows that he was doing much.  Jim Eschenbaum, SDGOP Chair, SD Searchlight, April 13, 2025

When prior chairs raised and spent money to promote the Republican party, they had a much higher level of activity and involvement. They kept the trains running on time, and generated activity for the Republican organization. And they most often did it by hiring professional political staff.

Eschenbaum claimed to the public, in the media that they didn’t need money, and was an insulting ass about the notion of the party having staff.  Now, they have a high burn rate, and an organization in free fall.

Secondly – the GOP’s big fundraiser that they thought would save their bacon? How has that been performing?

If we’re to take “Accounting by Tina Mulally” on it’s face for the information provided on the report their absolute reliance on this fundraiser is to their detriment.

They’re saying they raised nearly 69k from their raffle? Okay.. but what did they sink into it?

So, it cost them at least $51,477 to raise $68,889? So, if they’re lucky, they cleared $17k by the end of the year for their big state-wide fundraiser?  I’ve worked on quick projects for the party in the past which have raised this amount or more, and for this one, they’re still on the hook for advertising and promoting?  This is at the level of what some counties have raised through their Lincoln Day Dinners.  $17k isn’t bad for one event – but it tied up a TON of cash to raise that small amount.

And more importantly.. that was one event. Where are the others, not counting the silly Miller Golf event. When it comes to fundraising you need to put a dozen more together, doing it again, and again, and again. Yet the SDGOP remains paralyzed by this one concept as if they are now bereft of ideas.

 

Where else isn’t the money coming from?

If you look at the supplemental report showing the sources of intra-committee transfers, the SDGOP seems to be on life support as much as the Democrats have ever been.

$18,782.00 donated from county party organizations. $5,000 from Heartland Values PAC, which Treasurer Tina misreported, because it’s a Federal Political Action Committee, another $6165 from Candidate Committees.  There are minor amounts from the elected statewide officials, but they’ve largely been hands-off since the party spends as much time attacking them in social media as they do anything else.  And here we get into a big thing..

Do you know who is NOT as being a contributor in this report? The person who has traditionally been looked to as the figurehead and leader of the Republican Party organization in South Dakota – Governor Larry Rhoden – is COMPLETELY absent from being noted as contributing or supporting the goofs currently in charge of the South Dakota Republican Party organization.

Don’t take that as a complaint. Larry is a good guy. You won’t find my name on that report either. But his is a very important one for them when he decides to stay out of it.

I seem to remember the excerpt from the article from Jim Eschenbaum’s interview earlier this year:

“Reggie Rhoden, Governor Rhoden’s son, was executive director and he was being paid $5,400 a month… Nobody knows that he was doing much.”

Jim Eschenbaum, SDGOP Chair, SD Searchlight, April 13, 2025.

You know, if the former 32-year Democrat pretending to be the Republican Party Chairman wanted to help the relationship between the Republican Party and the Governor, I don’t think this was the way to break the ice.

I also seem to remember another incident from August..

After selling ballots in their faux straw poll in August… once again they didn’t really do the titular head of the party any favors by declaring he has no support in their fake straw poll.  And he’s not the only one the Eschenbaum party machine has lobbed bombs at. But you get my point.

The SDGOP has literally what are referred to as “the big 4”  – Our 2 US Senators, Congress and the Governor. Period.   They are the public face of the party.  In the general public NOBODY gives a flying-f*rt about who the party chairman is.  They recognize the big 4, so it’s a symbiotic relationship, if not a slightly parasitic one from the party’s end.

The organization needs them to be part of promoting the Republican party, and encouraging people to support it.  But now, for one of the first times in this generation, we have a Republican Party organization that at times is openly hostile to the big 4.   And it shows.

Can you blame them if they have little interest in contributing to the success of an organization? One that desperately needs them at the same time they insult them, lob bombs at them, and then come to them with their hand out?  And I talk to people. I know they are coming in to beg with hat in hand.

 

I’ll just stop here, because I can nitpick the problems to death. At the risk of going on too long, loyal carriers of water for the elephant should take a long look at the SDGOP’s state 2025 EOY report. It represents a problem with the Republican party’s continued dominance in this state.

The populist inmates are in charge of the asylum. They can’t raise money, and spend their time insulting the people who have traditionally helped them do it. Clearly, they care nothing for the continuation of a long and proud tradition of Republican success in this state.

Gov. Rhoden Signs Rural Health Transformation Bill

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden signed HB 1044, which appropriates funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program. This is the first bill Governor Rhoden has signed into law this legislative session.

“This is a big win for rural South Dakota! This may be the most significant investment in rural healthcare in South Dakota’s history, and it will strengthen our state for our kids and grandkids,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “By recruiting healthcare professionals, modernizing rural facilities, and expanding access to care, we will ensure South Dakotans in every corner of the state can stay healthy and strong.”

The Rural Health Transformation Program is a five-year federal initiative supported by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill that focuses on strengthening healthcare systems in rural communities.

In his State of the State Address, Governor Rhoden said, “I would love it if this was the first bill that reaches my desk.”

Governor Rhoden previously announced that the state of South Dakota secured $189.4 million in federal funding for Fiscal Year 2026 through this program to support state-led strategies that improve access, innovation, and long-term sustainability in rural health. For more information about South Dakota’s Rural Health Transformation Project, visit the DOH website.

Governor Rhoden signed HB 1044 at a private signing ceremony. You can find a photo of that signing here.

###

The Dusty Johnson for Governor filed their end of the year state campaign report this morning. And damn, Dusty raised a lot of money in the race to become our next Governor, as he hasn’t even touched his reserves in his federal account.. yet he still has a sliver under $1 million to rocket into 2026 with.

Here’s the hard copy:

Dusty for Governor 2025 EOY Report by Pat Powers

Wow.  Dusty raised a staggering $1,605,902.71, with $704,095.59 coming from individuals opening up their checkbooks to support his candidacy. (a chunk of the remaining was transferred over from his federal committee).

The committee spent $650,621.85, leaving them $955,280.86 as seed money for the 2026 leg of the election cycle.

And let’s not kid ourselves – this is a drop in the bucket compared to the financial reserves Dusty has raised – mainly from from South Dakotans over the years – available to help this former Ft. Pierre kid in his campaign to become South Dakota’s next Governor.

The Election Goofball/Truther group’s candidate for Secretary of State, Heather Baxter, has filed her first campaign finance report. And you can read for yourself who is donating, and where the money goes:

Heather Baxter 4 SOS 2025 EOY Disclosure by Pat Powers

From the report, Baxter raised $9,301 over the course of the year, and spent $3,273.16.. with $2000 of that being spent on travel. (Quite the round number, eh? I would venture that would likely be for “mileage.”)

Baxter goes into the new year with $6,027.84 in her account to spread her message of “no machines” and “hand counting,” despite what a majority of South Dakota’s county auditors say is feasible in South Dakota.

The lobbying group Americans for Prosperity and Governor Larry Rhoden are partnering for tax forum events according to social media posts popping up, where the Governor will be discussing his plan for property tax relief:

Americans for Prosperity also happens to be where his son, Reggie Rhoden, is working as the group’s Regional Engagement Director, after serving as the Executive Director for the South Dakota Republican Party.

I’m hearing there are other AFP/Rhoden joint events planned, with another one said to be coming in the Dakota Dunes area.

More to come.

I wonder which constituents said to Jon Hansen that we need a bill to define what boys and girls are?

This seems to be something that he’s going to try to beat the drum on when he’s out on the campaign trail, since Hansen generally is lacking in legislative accomplishment.

Maybe Hansen should have gone through with teaming with Toby Doeden.

Because this seems a little needy and smacks of desperation.

More legislation from today.  Taking a break from quickly cribbing the Governor’s idea to protect church services from disruption, today Representative Brandei Schaefbauer is back with more legislation.

This time copying herself, as she brings back her failed legislation to direct the attorney general to sue China for 100 Billion Dollars!

It should not come as a shock, as Brandei promised something to the effect of bringing last years’ failed legislation back when she took to social media to promote goofiness & conspiracy theories back in July:

I would also guess that she’ll bring ShadGPT back to committee and to write her talking points.   I hate to say it, but so far this year to date I’m not seeing any legislation that’s actually coming from her constituents. Just someone who has been seen with her as a traveling companion, and a trendy topic she appears to be trying to use to get a leg up on the Governor with.

Someone should do something about District 3 Representatives bringing back legislators who actually bring bills for constituents. (Like supporting Spencer Sommers for House, and Katie Washnok for Senate.)

We’ll see if Brandei’s re-run COVID conspiracy resolution gets past the House this year. We can only hope that neither taxpayers nor the Attorney General’s office have to waste anymore time than is required to defeat it.

UPDATE:

I wonder if Rep. Schaefbauer will bring her buddy who testified for her COVID resolution last year back to committee again to testify why we need to sue China?

I’m sure that Committee Hearing will go just well.