Read it and weep Jamie Smith. Because Kristi Noem is the 7th most popular Governor in the Country today:

Who is America’s most popular governor? With 74% approval ratings, Wyoming Republican Mark Gordon and Vermont Republican Phil Scott top the list. https://t.co/ScFFj3iV86 pic.twitter.com/GHMUUtroQJ

— Morning Consult (@MorningConsult) July 19, 2022

Remember Ellee Spawn who was going to challenge Dusty Johnson for the Democrats in 2020? At least she was going to challenge Dusty until her campaign became as radioactive as a Chernobyl reactor upon the disclosure of 3 DUI’s and active warrants for her arrest during her candidacy.

If you recall, last year, she decided she didn’t like the Democrat party so much anymore, and had been identifying with a group called the “National Progressive Party,” and was calling the 2 major parties “just 2 corporations.”

That gig must not have worked out, because as pointed out to me by a reader she’s back with the Democrats, and is calling herself a “campaign manager” as the campaign tells the world that Ellee is managing Minnesota DFL candidate Jill Abahsain’s effort to run for Congress in Minnesota Congressional District 7.

Well, good luck with that.  I’m sure Ellee has a lot to teach her about what not to do in running for Congress.

7/22 update: Is that video gone already?  Looks like they didn’t like the publicity. But, you can click on the below image to watch the linked video yourself. 

7/31 update…. the video settings that disallowed embedding seem to be changed back. At least for now.

Chad Mosteller Named Division of Criminal Investigation’s Interim Director

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has named Chad Mosteller as the interim Director of the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) effective immediately.

Mosteller has been serving as the DCI Assistant Director, Administrative Operations since December 2021. Mosteller worked as a college intern at DCI in the late 1990s and has been with DCI full-time since August 2002 serving in such positions as a special agent, supervisory agent, and Administrator of Law Enforcement Training.

“I have worked with Chad for almost 20 years and I have always appreciated his credibility and thoughtfulness,” Vargo said. “I also know that he will be a true sounding board for me, providing me the information I need to know, not necessarily the information I want to hear.”

Vargo, who was appointed as Attorney General by Governor Kristi Noem in late June, spent last week traveling statewide to meet with DCI agents. Vargo said Mosteller and DCI Assistant Director, Field Operations, Cam Corey have demonstrated strong leadership for the agency.

“My visits last week reaffirmed what I suspected, that the DCI remains the preeminent law enforcement agency in South Dakota,” Vargo said. “Chad and Cam have helped DCI maintain its high standards of professionalism, integrity, and diligence. They work well together, and I have no doubt that will continue.”

Mosteller will serve as interim DCI director through Vargo’s tenure as Attorney General, which ends Jan. 6, 2023. The newly elected Attorney General is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 7, 2023.

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Kristi for Governor Responds to SDPB’s Debate Gimmick

PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA – Today, the Kristi for Governor campaign responded to South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s (SDPB) plan to “provide an empty chair in the space Kristi Noem would normally occupy.”

“With this gimmick, SDPB has validated all our concerns about their bias. They are more interested in embarrassing the Governor than in a serious debate,” said Ian Fury, Communications Director for Kristi for Governor. “I would remind SDPB that they are a taxpayer funded organization, and 49% of registered South Dakota voters are Republicans. Perhaps they should address concerns about their bias and learn their audience better. In the meantime, Governor Noem will continue to educate the people of South Dakota about their increasing leftward slant.”

Last week, SDPB’s national affiliate, National Public Radio (NPR), announced a new “disinformation reporting team,” which quickly drew criticism from many for NPR’s immediate dismissal of the Hunter Biden laptop scandal in the midst of the 2020 election. “We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions,” NPR’s Managing Editor for News, Terence Samuels, said at the time. The original New York Post story has since been proven accurate.

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South Dakota Ends Fiscal Year with $115 Million Surplus

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that South Dakota closed the 2022 budget year on June 30 with a surplus of $115.5 million.  Total general fund revenue for fiscal year 2022 finished $72.3 million higher than adopted estimates, and the state general fund budget ended with expenses $43.2 million less than budgeted.

“South Dakota has the strongest economy in America and a strong financial position to match,” said Governor Noem. “We live within our means and operate government conservatively. Low regulation, low tax burden and business friendly policies are still the recipe for economic success.”

Actual general fund revenue for fiscal year 2022 was unexpectedly higher than recent adopted forecast estimates. In total, revenue finished above the adopted forecast by $72.3 million, or 3.3 percent. Sales and use tax, which is the state’s largest revenue source, finished $36.6 million above estimates and grew 12% over the prior fiscal year.  A combination of all other sources of general fund revenue finished the fiscal year $35.7 million above legislative estimates.

South Dakota’s personal income growth led the nation again in the first quarter of 2022. South Dakota has been a leader in this metric since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. People continue to move to South Dakota as our net inbound migration wasranked second in the nation, while South Dakota’s 2.3% unemployment rate is among the lowest in the nation and lower than before the pandemic.

“We must remain cautious and conservative due to 40-year highs in inflation caused by the Biden Administration’s heavy spending and regulation,” said Governor Noem. “However, we are prepared to weather any economic storm thanks to our structurally balanced budget, fully funded pension, and strong reserves.”

By law, the fiscal 2022 surplus of $115.5 million was transferred to the state’s budget reserves. The state’s reserves now total $422.6 million or 20.5% of the fiscal year 2023 general fund budget.

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Americans for Prosperity-South Dakota Partnering with Local Gas Station to Lower Gas Costs, Highlighting the “True Cost of Washington” in Sioux Falls 

AFP Campaign Partnering with Local Gas Station to Offer Price of Biden’s First Day in office at $2.38/Gallon

Sioux Falls, South Dakota—Americans for Prosperity-South Dakota (AFP-SD) will hold an event on Tuesday, July 19^th in Sioux Falls to highlight the policies contributing to skyrocketing prices that are squeezing working class families across South Dakota and nationwide.

WHO:   Keith Moore, Americans for Prosperity South Dakota State Director

WHAT:   AFP-SD gas station takeover will lower the price of gas to $2.38 a gallon—the average price of unleaded gasoline when Biden first took office in January 2021. Gasoline discounts are given on a first come, first served basis.

WHEN & WHERE:  Tuesday, July 19^th at 1:30pm-3pm: Friendly’s Fuel Stop, 3700 N Potsdam Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57104

More background on “The True Cost of Washington:”

AFP’s The True Cost of Washington campaign will educate Americans in nine states, including South Dakota, about the truth behind rising costs while offering real solutions to make everyday life more affordable. Thanks to skyrocketing inflation, Americans across the country can expect to spend an extra $5,200 to maintain the same standard of living as last year, and an extra $1,433 for gasoline.

A poll recently conducted by Public Opinion Strategies for AFP found that 75 percent of Americans reported that the increase in costs has impacted their consumer behavior over the past year. Most individuals surveyed agreed that government policies and regulations have caused price increases. 61 percent of those surveyed blamed President Biden for this increase.

AFP’s solutions to combat these rising prices garnered support, with 88 percent of respondents agreeing the government should make it easier to produce energy domestically, and 82 percent agreeing with getting government spending under control by tackling the federal debt and reducing federal budget deficits.

Flags at Half-Staff at State Capitol in Honor of Former State Senator Henry Carlson, Jr.

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol from sunrise until sunset on Tuesday, July 19, in honor of former State Senator Henry Carlson, Jr. of Sioux Falls. He served in the State Senate from 1977-1978 and from 1983-1984.

Funeral services for Henry will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, July 19, at Calvary Episcopal Church in Sioux Falls.

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John Thune FEC Report 2022 July Quarterly by Pat Powers on Scribd

US Senator John Thune rolled through the June Primary with a massive head of steam, and continues his momentum with his post-primary report, noting that between 5/19/22 and 6/30/22, he raised over a million dollars against only 343k of expense, leaving him with cash on hand at the end of this abbreviated reporting period of $16,889,094.52.

Compared to his Democrat opponent, who at the end of the same reporting period noted contributions of $60,523.59 and spending more than he took in with $73,490.89 going out of his account, leaving him $31k in the bank (after a loan of $20,000).

Doesn’t seem like the Democrat is moving in anything resembling the right direction.

Very long-time Eagle Forum lobbyist Kitty Werthmann passed away on June 14th at the age of 96. While you may or may not have agreed with her, none doubted her commitment to the cause of freedom in South Dakota:

Mathilde Kitty (Gautsch) Werthmann was born January 2, 1926 on Salzburg, Austria. She received her elementary education in nearby Ramingstein, then completed her high school years at a convent boarding school in just 4 years. She went on to college and began teaching in the province of Salzburg.

While teaching, Kitty began seeing the effects of Adolf Hitler’s presence in her home country; the handicapped were sent away to die in his euthanasia program. Media became strictly controlled by the State, early enlistment by young men and women was required, free speech was no longer allowed. Seeing her beloved country become of full dictatorship, she chose to emigrate to the United States. She met her German born husband in Minneapolis, MN; they chose to raise a family of 5 children in Pierre, SD where Dr. Hubert Werthmann began his Radiology practice with St. Mary’s and area hospitals.

For nearly 40 years, Kitty has spent a great deal of time lobbying against bills she felt would negatively impact the American family. Both on the state level in South Dakota and the national level, she represented Eagle Forum as state president, a national pro-family political movement. She became a lobbyist and as co-founder, of South Dakota Right To Life, she was able to rescind ERA, as well as fight for pro-family bills.

She became known as a speaker who championed America’s freedom and independence. She spoke nationally to a wide variety of organizations as well as universities throughout the country.

You can read her obituary here.

Inflation is at its highest level since November 1981 – a staggering 9.1 percent. The last time it was this high, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark had recently been released. Everywhere South Dakotans look, they’re facing price increases. On average, inflation is costing the average household $718 per month, or more than $8,600 over the next year. That is an unsustainable financial burden for families and small businesses. And on top of all this, real average hourly earnings are currently declining at the fastest pace in 40 years.

A growing number of Americans are digging into their savings to make ends meet, and others are relying on things like credit cards or visits to food banks. Yet, even as inflation continues to climb and affect families and businesses across the state, Washington Democrats are preparing to double down on the same kind of irresponsible government expansion they’ve already committed to with a partisan, multi-trillion-dollar tax-and-spending bill.

At its most basic level, inflation is created when there are too many dollars chasing too few of goods in the economy. Democrats helped trigger this ongoing inflation problem last year when they decided to pour trillions of unnecessary government dollars into the economy – despite being warned by me and many others that their partisan $1.9 trillion spending bill would stoke inflation. At this point, after months of record-high prices, the logical solution would be to stop all of this wasteful spending. Unfortunately, Democrats still believe that flooding the economy with more government dollars will help fix the inflation crisis. Newsflash: It will only make things worse.

Like a zombie, the Democrats’ Build Back Better tax-and-spending spree just keeps coming back from the dead. Democrats are planning to raise taxes by a trillion dollars. A substantial part of that tax increase would come in the form of new taxes on small businesses – individually and family-owned businesses, or what are often called pass-through businesses. In South Dakota, pass-throughs, such as sole proprietorships, S corporations, and partnerships, employ an estimated 68 percent of the private sector. Nationwide, more than 90 percent of American businesses are pass-throughs, and these businesses employ tens of millions of Americans.

Right now, business owners are struggling with the high cost of everything from inputs to electricity. I recently read a comment from one small business owner in South Dakota, who noted that “it’s hard when you’re working so hard but you’re not making money. […] we are right there right now.” If Democrats have their way, life for small business owners – and their employees – is going to get even harder. Raising taxes on businesses would lead to a combination of lower wages for workers, lower returns for business owners, and higher prices for goods and services. It would also make it more challenging for small business owners to reinvest in and grow their businesses.

The Democrats’ proposed tax hikes and the resulting economic impacts are not going to be limited to small businesses, nor are they going to be limited to families bringing home more than $400,000 – despite the fact that the president has repeatedly pledged not to raise taxes on families making less than that. A recent analysis by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation showed that lower- and middle-income taxpayers will face significant hits from the Democrats’ proposed tax hikes, and more than half of taxpayers earning between $100,000 and $200,000 would see a tax hike next year, as well as a quarter of taxpayers making between $75,000 and $100,000.

Raising taxes on small businesses, including pass-throughs in South Dakota and across the country, is a reckless approach to the economy. I am at a loss to understand any legitimate reason why Democrats would be contemplating increasing the tax burden on small businesses and middle-income Americans during an inflation crisis. American families are already suffering, and they should not have to deal with the economic consequences of yet another ill-advised piece of Democrat legislation.

I will continue to fight on behalf of South Dakota families and small businesses to stop this irresponsible and partisan tax-and-spending spree from becoming law.

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