John Thune and Dusty Johnson just got the nod from the National Rifle Association and were endorsed for re-election:
Taffy Howard was also ranked lower than Dusty, likely as a result of voting against the Shooting Sports range, which was an NRA supported bill. (I wonder how quickly she’s going to admit being less conservative in the rankings than her opponent?)
I didn’t receive this until just today (I’m always getting those things lost in the mail), but State Legislative Candidate Tony Venhuizen just had a HUGE fundraiser in Sioux Falls on the 4th.
Special guests were Governor Kristi Noem and former Governor Daugaard. And Congressman Dusty Johnson was one of the hosts.
(They got me a little better copy of the flyer)
Minnehaha County GOP will be hosting a MEET THE CANDIDATES Social. All State Delegation, Minnehaha Republican Legislative Candidates, County Officers and Committeemen and Committeewoman are invited. We hope to see you there! We encourage you to wear your name badge and bring your flyers and yard signs. Due to the large number of Candidates, we divided the Meet and Greet into two meetings, see details below. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Gov. Noem Proclaims Today Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Noem proclaimed May 5th as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day in South Dakota.
“Today, we remember the Indigenous people who have been murdered and those who remain missing. We are committed to working with Tribal Nations to address this ongoing tragedy and help our fellow South Dakotans, the Oceti Sakowin people,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “I encourage every South Dakotan to take a moment today to reflect on and help raise awareness for those within this vulnerable population. Let’s give them our help and support and continue to lift them and their families up in prayer.”
Actions taken by Governor Noem to address the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people include:
Additionally, while serving in the United States House of Representatives, then-Congresswoman Noem sponsored the “Protect Our Native Women Act” and legislation to make tribes eligible for AMBER Alert grants. She also co-sponsored anti-human trafficking legislation that was signed into law by both PresidentsObama and Trump.
“While these efforts have made a positive lasting impact, we have more work to do,” continued Governor Noem. “Through further collaboration between our Tribal Nations, federal agencies, and the State of South Dakota, we will continue working to end this terrible crisis.”
You can find Governor Noem’s proclamation here. To learn more about Native American culture and education, visit the Department of Tribal Relations’website.
###
According to the Secretary of State’s office, the deadline to submit an independent candidate nominating petition was April 26, 2022.
But, wasn’t Lora Hubbel allegedly running as an Independent candidate for that office?
We all must have missed those petitions being turned in.
Wondering what all this primary election folderol is on the Republican side of the aisle? Check out our helpful infographic below for an update on the races.
There’s an article posted at the Argus Leader this evening noting Governor Kristi Noem’s importance in the Republican primaries, and the fact she’s taking an active role in the primaries as the symbolic head of the Republican Party in South Dakota in encouraging people to run:
Not seen as vulnerable in her primary, Noem says she’s still not taking her party’s nomination for governor for granted. But she is managing to find time to involve herself in some battleground legislative contests. She’s offered candidate school seminars to up-and-coming politicians, making endorsements and even going as far as publicly chastising Republican incumbents she doesn’t see eye to eye politically.
and..
“In the primary, she’s probably the greatest asset we have,” said Sen. Lee Schoenbeck, the president pro tempore of the Legislature’s higher chamber who’s engaging in open hostilities with a handful of the governor’s political nemesis.
(Is that nemesis, or nemeses?). Of course, the Governor’s agenda does have it’s detractors – and by the looks of it, they’re putting some cash into attacking Senator Schoenbeck for leading the charge:
Pischke launched a campaign ad accusing him of being the “liberal leader of the Senate.” And last week, Rep. Liz May, a Republican who lives hundreds of miles from Watertown, began running a billboard spot in Schoenbeck’s district pegging him as a “tax and spend” politician for helping Noem block a sales tax cut last winter.
and..
“I’m going to do what it takes to expose him and this cabal of Republicans,” she said, though she declined to share the level of campaign funds she intends to focus on Schoenbeck’s race.
Interestingly, the Pischke ad campaign and the PAC billboard comes on the heels of Tom Pischke calling everyone and their dog to try to raise cash. I spoke with at least two people who had gotten calls. This might possibly be what he’s spending the campaign bucks on that he’s trying to raise.
Given Liz May’s electoral skill (such as when she lost to Dusty Johnson 81-19%).. or lack thereof, throwing cash against Lee Schoenbeck might be the second biggest waste of her money after her Congressional race. Given that Schoenbeck is the legislature’s OG campaign machine, and is completely and utterly indefatigable when it comes to political races, Liz has a pretty uphill battle if she thinks she’s going to take him down a peg.
But, it is endlessly entertaining political theater. Stay tuned.
Jessica Bahmuller Running for District 19 House
Alexandria, SD — Jessica Bahmuller, finance director for Alexandria, is running in the Republican primary for the opportunity to represent District 19 in the South Dakota House.
“Growing up in rural South Dakota and being involved in 4-H and FFA, I realized the importance of community service and working hard for the values in which you believe. I’ve been a strong Conservative, active in the Republican Party my entire life. I know the values of small government and want to preserve our South Dakota way of life for our kids. With ten years of experience working in local government for my neighbors in Alexandria, I’m ready to put my small town values to work in Pierre for District 19.”
Bahmuller graduated from SDSU with a degree in business. In addition to her work for the city of Alexandria, Bahmuller works part-time for her family’s business. She served on the SD Wildlife Expo board, is an avid hunter, a member of the NRA, and is active in other community organizations.
Bahmuller is a fiscal conservative and supports keeping the government small and accountable with more local control. She is pro-life and pro-family and supports the 2nd Amendment.
Bahmuller and her husband Aaron, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, have three children, Brayden, Lily, and Archer, active in the Hanson School District.
Contact Bahmuller on her website: www.bahmuller4sd.com and on Facebook at /bahmuller4sd
Great forum tonight by the Watertown Chamber of Commerce with the District 4 House and District 5 State Senate Republican candidates:
There were some good comments from candidates. And some not so good. District 4’s Adam Grimm came out in opposition to corn being used for ethanol. And he certainly grabbed my attention when he declared “getting Government out of education is a plus.” Well.. I’m not sure who is supposed to run local schools then?
In the District 5 Senate race, I’m not sure Lee Schoenbeck’s opponent generates enough mental power to ambulate. I think the moderator spent more time picking apart some of the dumb things he said than Lee Schoenbeck had to address. That, and Colin Paulsen slammed the Governor talking about Marijuana getting more votes than she did. Not sure that’s going to earn him any points in Watertown.
Line of the night did come from the Senator, when he declared: “If leaders don’t speak out, you get people like this Pischke from Dell Rapids and Frye Mueller from out in the Hills.. you get people you wouldn’t want taking care of your dog.”
Ouch.
