Last night was apparently an active one for candidates (and those who might be).

Toby “I’m not the evil one” Doeden was out in the field after his debacle of an interview on KELOland. Ironically, testing his positive/negative rating.  I can almost guess which one is going to be up:

Also floating around in a different poll was someone testing the interest of people for Attorney General Marty Jackley in the race for both Congress. Yet, there was still a Gov. question at the end:

This is a weird period where rumors rule, and things are in flux. Affecting a few contests for statewide office.

It has been rumored that with Governor Rhoden in the race for well, Governor, along with Congressman Dusty Johnson, and the other two, the race for the big chair on the second floor of the Capitol is looking a bit crowded.

So, there’s talk that Marty is at least exploring his options on switching gears. And instead of running for Governor as many expected him to, he’s at least giving thought to the Congressional race. Yet.. he’s not necessarily letting go completely, as I’m told there was another question in this poll about Governor.

The problem with this for our Attorney General – And make no mistake, Marty is a good guy, and most Republicans including myself think the world of him – is that there’s a growing sense of inertia because supporters are less and less sure of what he’s running for. Donors are out there who may consider cutting him a check.. but they want to know specifically whether it’s Marty for Governor or Marty for Congress.

And the longer he waits to pick a lane.. the more commitments are going to have been made to other people. If Marty wants in on Campaign 2026 for a higher office, he might need to pick the trail he’s going to be running down very soon.

If you notice the polling question above, you notice that Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen’s name is still in that mix, when many thought he was not.  And I hear that’s also causing some consternation. The thought was that Venhuizen is rock solid with Rhoden serving loyally as his Lt. But, I’m told some Tony supporters of his in the congressional contest are saying don’t count Tony out.  Which might make for some awkward conversations.

Stau tuned. I’m sure there’s a lot more to come.

Attorney General Jackley Announces South Dakota Receives Almost $2 Million Opioid Payment from Janssen Pharmaceuticals

 PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that South Dakota has received payment of $1,967,317.50 in its latest opioid settlement from Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

“This payment is part of our efforts to hold companies accountable for their part in creating this nation’s opioid crisis,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Too many South Dakota families have suffered because of this crisis.”

Johnson & Johnson, which owns Janssen, agreed in 2021 to pay states more than $5 billion over nine years. This latest payment brings the amount received to $4,994,200.68. South Dakota is expected to receive a projected total of $9,357,950.77 from the Johnson & Johnson settlement.

The payments go into the National Opioid Settlement Fund administered by the South Dakota Department of Social Services. As part of the National Opioid Settlement, South Dakota is projected to receive nearly $80 million in funds from companies that helped fuel the opioid epidemic.  These funds will be used for addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery.

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Congressman Dusty Johnson just took Toby Doeden back to school after Doeden tried to tell South Dakota last night, with a red face in a darkened room, the he himself was good and Congressman Dusty Johnson is somehow evil:

“South Dakotans deserve a leader who will bring our state together, who will lead with integrity, and who will demonstrate the value of being a work horse, not a show horse,” a statement sent Tuesday to KELOLAND News said. “It’s pretty clear Toby is not that person.”

Read that here at KELOLAND.com

Following up with a message to supporters, Congressman Johnson’s campaign noted that the kind of hate that Doeden is spewing is not dissimilar from the hate that was just experienced over in Minnesota. And that Toby’s kind of candidate is not just ugly, but dangerous to our Democracy:

It is said that politics is an ugly business, but this clip from last night is beyond the pale.

Given the tragedy that just occurred in our neighboring state, it’s undeniable that this type of extreme and hateful political talk crosses a line and this type of candidate is dangerous.

Doeden may quickly find that there’s no place for his red-faced brand of unhinged meanness in the race for Governor.

From CNN, it appears that former Governor Kristi Noem has been hospitalized after an allergic reaction:

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was transported by ambulance on Tuesday to a hospital in Washington, DC, after an allergic reaction, the Department of Homeland Security said.

“Secretary Noem had an allergic reaction today. She was transported to the hospital out of an abundance of caution. She is alert and recovering,” said DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.

Read the breaking news here.

Johnson Protects Women’s Sports at U.S. Military Service Academies

 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced the Protection of Women in Sports at Military Academies Act to prohibit biological males from competing in women’s sports at United States military service academies.

“This is not a new concept – biological males and females should compete on separate playing fields,” said Johnson. “Our military service academies should remain focused on military readiness – not woke policies.”

“As someone who has personally experienced the consequences of unfair competition in women’s sports, I strongly support the Protection of Women in Sports at Military Academies Act,” said Riley Gaines, an outspoken advocate on prohibiting biological males from competing in women’s sports. “Our nation’s military academies should be the gold standard of fairness, discipline, and integrity—not institutions that sacrifice female athletes on the altar of political correctness. Title IX was designed to protect opportunities for women, and this bill ensures that protection remains intact for the brave young women training to lead our armed forces.”

“Our nation’s military service academies should reflect the highest standards of fairness, merit and opportunity. The idea that female cadets at our elite military schools should have to battle men in athletic programs is dangerous and regressive,” said Beth Parlato, senior legal advisor for Independent Women’s Law Center. “Title IX was exacted to give women equal opportunities to succeed, and this bill affirms what most Americans know: women’s sports are for women. We applaud Rep. Dusty Johnson for protecting the integrity of women’s sports and making it clear that female cadets deserve the same opportunity to train and compete as their predecessors fought for.”

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville introduced identical legislation in the Senate.

“Our service academies should be focused on preparing the next generation of leaders, not woke indoctrination,” said Senator Tuberville. “Unfortunately, under Joe Biden and radical Democrats, the woke mind virus made its way into our great military. Thankfully, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have refocused the Pentagon on lethality. Allowing men to compete against women in sports at any level is wrong—and it’s especially wrong to use taxpayer dollars to pay for it at our service academies. As a proud grandfather to Rosie Grace, this is personal for me. I won’t stop fighting until the rights of females in this country to enjoy safe, fair competition are protected.”

Title IX was established to ensure equal opportunities for women in sports, and allowing biological males to compete in these categories directly undermines the intent of the law. While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has failed to implement policies that adequately protect female college athletes, Congress has direct oversight of our nation’s military academies. This issue is not hypothetical—just last year, women’s volleyball teams were forced to either forfeit matches or compete under unfair conditions against teams that included biological males on their rosters.

The Protection of Women in Sports at Military Academies Act is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Burgess Owens (R-UT), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), Barry Moore (R-AL), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Gary Palmer (R-AL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Chip Roy (R-TX), David Kustoff (R-TN), Roger Williams (R-TX), and Jeff Hurd (R-CO).

Read Fox News’s article on Johnson’s bill here.

Click here for bill text.

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Thune Remarks on Horrific Shootings in Minnesota

“There is no place for this kind of violence in our country. None.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

 Click here to watch the video.

Thune Remarks on Israeli Airstrikes in Iran

“President Trump and our country remain steadfast in our defense of Israel and committed to working toward peace in the Middle East and, first and foremost, for the safety of American personnel stationed in the region.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: 

Click here to watch the video.

Gov. Rhoden Celebrates South Dakota’s Reaffirmed AAA Credit Rating

PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden celebrated Moody’s reaffirmation of South Dakota’s AAA credit rating.

“Receiving a reaffirmed AAA credit rating is proof that South Dakota remains Open for Opportunity,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “Our state’s commonsense regulations and responsible spending are leading our state towards long-term success. My Administration will continue to make informed financial decisions, manage taxpayer dollars wisely, and preserve our state’s financial strength.”

Moody’s highlighted South Dakota’s steady economy growth, continued in-migration, strong liquidity, and healthy financial operations as key factors in our state’s financial success.

“South Dakota continues to stand out among US states in terms of its very healthy finances and its low debt, pension and fixed cost liabilities,” wrote Moody’s. “These will remain long-term credit strengths that bolster the state’s capacity to attend to unforeseen challenges.”

South Dakota’s rating outlook remains stable. Our fiscal conservatism, commonsense regulatory policies, and record unemployment rates will ensure South Dakota’s economic success continues for generations to come.

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John Hult at South Dakota Searchlight has a big story today on former US Senate Candidate Reid Rasner, who state press releases described as a billionaire who wants to bring TikTok to South Dakota.

However, according to financial disclosures from his recent US Senate race as described by SD Searchlight, the disclosures don’t seem very billionaire-ish looking. Although, if I could make 70k selling aluminum beach chairs on eBay, I would too:

South Dakotans following the story on his $47.45 billion bid since mid-April, through traditional media channels or on social media outlets like Instagram or TikTok, have likely seen the term “billionaire” attached to Rasner’s name.

But his background offers no definitive proof to support that descriptor. Instead, disclosures filed during his Senate campaign show a self-employed financial adviser who owns some real estate, sells used goods on eBay for a sizable portion of his income, and is more than $1 million in debt due to a loan he received from a family trust.

Even so, he’s won over South Dakota Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden, who’s sung Rasner’s praises in press releases and television appearances.

and..

In one of the reports he filed during his failed Senate campaign, Rasner reported $108,000 of self-employment income from Omnivest Financial, the company name under which he offers wealth management services. He reported earning another $70,000 through eBay, an auction site on which he sells goods such as vintage police badges, cowboy boots and aluminum beach chairs under the name “Omnisellers.”

Rasner’s disclosure forms also list commercial real estate, from which he collected between $15,001 and $50,000 in rent, a mutual fund worth less than $100,000, and unimproved land in Casper, Wyoming, worth less than $15,000.

Rasner additionally disclosed a liability of between $1 million and $5 million, due to a loan he received from a family trust at a rate of 5% interest over a 20-year term.

and..

Rasner declined to respond directly to a dozen questions on his companies, political ambitions, investors and personal life. He sent a statement through a spokesperson that accused South Dakota Searchlight of approaching this story with a “tone and accusatory nature” that is “completely unprofessional.”

“Your biased attacks will not deter Rasner Media’s mission to free TikTok from Chinese control,” the statement said, in part.

Read the entire story here.

Well… ok..   I guess we’ll see how this goes.

Toby Doeden’s scowling visage is back in mailboxes again, as he spends money hand over fist to get people to pay attention to an election that’s a year away:

Seriously, a statewide mailing, even cut down in number to 4/4 voting Republicans at standard postage is not cheap. Figure $15 – 20K or more every time he scowls at us to throw some more slogan soup our way.