Democrats have announced some of their first candidates for the state legislature, with a full slate for District 10.

Interestingly, State Democrats are reserving their one current office holder in the District and keeping State Rep. Erin Healy in the House, preferring to offer up Liz Larson who lost to Jack Kolbeck in 2020 in the State Senate race.

Larson will likely be facing Republican State Senator Maggie Sutton, who will be campaigning to retain the seat.

While Brian Bengs is running as a Democrat for US Senate, it sounds as of he’s doing so very, very begrudgingly, according to this story on KELOland news today:

He announced his campaign for U.S. Senate on Veterans Day in November and said he’s running as a Democrat because state law requires a candidate to be a registered member of the same party. Independent is not a political party in South Dakota.

Bengs pointed out South Dakota’s Republican Party doesn’t allow independents to vote in their primary elections and that’s why he reached out to the South Dakota Democratic Party to seek the party’s nomination while remaining an independent.

“I was an independent up until October of last year for my entire life,” Bengs said.

Read it here.

…. Um…. has anyone told him that he can actually run as an independent in South Dakota, if it’s such a big deal to him?  In fact, the Secretary of State has a whole page on it.

Sounds to me that he is more looking for organizational support from a political party than being independent, since he’s spending so much of his media time trying to disavow it.

**UPDATE **  I missed this ‘WTF’ comment in the story…

Facing an uphill battle with money, Bengs said he also expects to receive death threats while running for office. 

Read that here.

Wait, what?

I’d say that comment was coming out of left field, but that’s a given.  Hi, I’m running for US Senate. People are going to threaten me.

I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a candidate intro like that, which makes me think that the democrats are going to keep candidate shopping if they can.

Johnson Statement on SCOTUS Vaccine Mandate Ruling

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court decision to block President Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers in the United States.

“Today’s decision is a win for federalism and individual freedoms,” said Johnson. “I believe in this vaccine, but I don’t believe in sweeping federal mandates – the Supreme Court made the right call. With more than 95% of Americans over the age of 65 at least partially vaccinated, our nation cannot handle the fallout that would come from overreaching actions of the federal government.”

Johnson cosponsored H.J. Res. 65 which nullifies the OSHA rule to require employers with more than 100 employees to receive a vaccine. Additionally, Johnson urged Speaker Pelosi to bring S.J. Res. 29 up for a vote following Senate passage. In December, Johnson hosted a roundtable with South Dakota businesses, highlighting concerns regarding workforce participation following vaccination mandates.

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Thune Applauds Supreme Court’s Decision to Halt Vaccine Mandate on Private Sector Employers

“Today’s ruling sends a loud and clear message to the Biden administration: In this country, the unlawful use of the heavy hand of the federal government will not be tolerated.” 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the Biden administration’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate on large private sector employers.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to halt the Biden administration’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate on large private sector employers is a win for South Dakota, our workforce, and our personal freedoms,” said Thune. “I’ve made it clear from the beginning that any type of vaccine mandate would have a countereffect on our country’s already stretched and strapped workforce, as well as set an alarming precedent. The federal government should not have the authority to force private citizens to get the vaccine. Today’s ruling sends a loud and clear message to the Biden administration: In this country, the unlawful use of the heavy hand of the federal government will not be tolerated.”

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Gov. Noem Responds to SCOTUS Blocking OSHA Vaccine Mandate

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem issued the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court blocking the OSHA vaccine mandate:

“Our nation was built on freedom, on the belief that our rights come from God, not from government. Any infringement on our rights risks breaking the constitutional republic that we hold so dear.

“I am grateful that the Supreme Court has taken this important action to guarantee the rights of employees to make their own personal choice whether or not to get a COVID vaccine. I look forward to working with the legislature to pass protections for private employees, just like we have already done for state workers. And employers can rest assured that they will not lose valuable employees to President Biden’s unconstitutional OSHA mandate.”

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South Dakota US Senator John Thune was on Fox News talking about Democrats trying to manufacture a crisis over voting rights, despite it being as easy to vote as ever:

Democrats are dealing in distraction. They don’t want Americans focused on their many failures – the southern border crisis, skyrocketing inflation, disastrous Afghanistan exit, COVID, etc. – so they are manufacturing a “voting rights” crisis. It’s easier than ever to vote. pic.twitter.com/6egfepI1jR

— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) January 12, 2022

Last night on Facebook, Governor Kristi Noem released a new commercial regarding her efforts at protecting women’s sports:

The ad are starting on cable news programs nationally.

US Senator Mike Rounds is doubling down on his comments last weekend that earned him the ire of former President Trump, and noting that it’s not a bad thing for conservatives to speak the truth about the last election.

“We have to be more aggressive in reassuring conservatives that their vote counts,” Rounds said, adding “to give them reassurance that they can trust us and that we will speak the truth. And even if it’s the hard truth that’s hard to swallow, we’re not going to lie to them.”

“If we want to keep the trust and gain the trust of more individuals that are wondering, we have to probably say it a little bit louder and in more places that many of us normally either aren’t invited to talk or have chosen not to get into the fray,” Rounds told The Associated Press in an interview this week.

and..

One of Thune’s challengers, Bruce Whalen, had cautionary words for Rounds.

Looks like the paymasters are trying to squeeze even more profit out of the Argus Leader, as they announced today that they’re dropping the printed Saturday newspaper entirely shortly after moving printing to another state:

The Argus Leader will cease home delivery on Saturdays but will continue to produce and provide a full digital replica of the newspaper that day, filled with local news, advertising and features such as comics and puzzles. The means subscribers will continue to have full digital access to the e-edition newspaper, the Argus Leader website and mobile apps while printed newspapers will be delivered six days a week.

Read the entire story here.

After having victory snatched from her as a result of a clerical error in the last Republican Primary, Republican Jessica Bahmuller dusted herself off, and is getting back on the horse to run again for District 19 State House of Representatives.   She filed her petitions today with the Secretary of State.. and it is full speed ahead.

Currently, only incumbent Representative Caleb Finck is running in D19, meaning there are no primaries for the House in that District.

(At least yet. I assume nothing, because this year is just crazy with primaries so far. )