Just caught this on facebook in the early hours of this morning, sleepily scrolling.. and it woke me up with a start. A scary tale to begin my day with.

The South Dakota Republican Party has formed a new platform committee in preparation for the next convention. And to say it’s markedly different that the last, is an understatement. Because it’s not your typical platform committee.

It’s like Rod Serling dropped in to narrate what’s happening. Just to inform us that in the Twilight Zone, they’ve convened the ‘Republican Party’s platform committee.’  A platform committee of the damned.

Boasting 4 members from Pennington County, Tonchi Weaver, Dale Bartscher, Phil Jensen and Tony Randolph, clearly Jim Eschenbaum, the former 32-year Democrat who passes for the Party Chair asked himself who are some of the most divisive people in the Republican Party? So he could include them on the committee.

Rep. Phil Jensen, who is such a horse’s hindquarters that even the Jon Hansen/Scott Odenbach faction of the party kicked him out of the House GOP caucus, in addition to stripping him of committees and positions in this and the last sessions?  Tony Randolph, who at one time voted to keep rapists in high school classrooms, and is the prime sponsor this year of HB 1212, to place women who have abortions under arrest and charged with murder?  Tonchi Weaver who was attacking Governor Kristi Noem for not being conservative enough in the last election?

Of course, we can’t leave out Minnehaha County’s contribution of former State Rep. Steve Haugaard. The lead counsel trying to defend Julie Frye-Mueller in suckle-gate. His views were rejected by the Republican Party as a group in the Republican Party in 2022 on a basis of 76.4% to 23.6% after he challenged Governor Noem in that race – for again, not being conservative enough.  They also did it again at the convention that year, when Haugaard sought to push out now Governor Larry Rhoden as Lt. Governor on the ticket. 

Now Eschenbaum wants to have Haugaard help write the standards via the party platform planks that the Republicanism of Governor Larry Rhoden would be judged by? I’m guessing no one consulted the Governor on that appointment.

There’s others of varying degrees of obnoxiousness on the platform committee. But suffice it to say that I have no doubt that we’ll hear more about the Republican Party Platform Committee of the Damned – especially their end product – in South Dakota’s media this year.

In the Media.. and in the Twilight zone.

Just had this video sent to me which points out how House Bill 1005 would help diversify America’s hyperscale data processing to make it more secure:

From the Rural National Defense Initiative.

Dean Kirkeby Confirmed to the GFP Commission

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden’s appointment of Dean Kirkeby to the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Commission was confirmed by the South Dakota State Senate.

“South Dakota is the most beautiful state, and protecting our great outdoors is a responsibility we don’t take lightly – we owe it to our kids and our grandkids,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “Dean Kirkeby is a lifelong steward of the land, and his commitment to conservation, habitat protection, and public access will be a strong asset to our state.”

Dean Kirkeby is a lifelong South Dakotan and a 1978 graduate of South Dakota State University. He operates a family farm with his sons and provides public access to deer and pheasant hunters. He is also a private pilot and has incorporated flying into his farming operation to survey livestock, crop land, and land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. For over twenty years, Kirkeby served on the Merton Township board.

Kirkeby will be replacing Jon Locken, who completed his eight-year term this January.

“I appreciate my appointment to the SD GFP Commission and the trust Governor Rhoden has placed in me,” said Dean Kirkeby. “As a commissioner, my primary goal will be keeping the outdoors open and accessible to everyone that wants to enjoy it.”

Dean Kirkeby has been married for 36 years. He and his wife have three sons and five grandchildren. You can find a photo of Dean Kirkeby here.

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America First
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
February 6, 2026

BIG Update

Free, fair, and accountable elections are vital to the survival of our democracy. Without common sense guardrails, our election system is severely compromised. I’ve been supportive of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to protect our elections. It requires individuals to provide proof of citizenship when they register to vote in federal elections. It also requires states to remove noncitizens from existing voter rolls.

I voted to pass the SAVE Act when it passed the House in March 2025, but the Senate has not considered it yet. This week, I joined fellow House members to urge the Senate to take up this legislation. Several states, including South Dakota, have removed noncitizens from their voter rolls in recent years – Congress must take action to strengthen election security.

BIG Idea

The sale of year-round E-15 will increase supply and demand of American-made fuel and lead to American energy dominance. President Trump is eager to sign a deal to deliver year-round E-15, supporting American producers and lowering the cost consumers see at the pump.

I’m working in the House to deliver a deal that President Trump can sign. This week, the Rural Domestic Energy Council met to work on a plan that can pass the House and Senate. I’m confident we will reach a deal that provides year-round E-15.

Click here or the image above to read more

BIG News

Tax season has arrived once again. Thankfully, the Working Families Tax Cuts Act provided historic tax relief for American taxpayers. The standard deduction has been boosted to $31,500 for families, which means the first $31,500 of your family’s income is tax free.

The Working Families Tax Cuts Act also cuts taxes on tips and overtime, as well as Social Security. Families will see an increased Child Tax Credit and can establish a tax-deferred savings account (also known as a Trump Account) to set children up for success. Children born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028 are eligible for a $1,000 investment from the Treasury Department into their Trump Account.

Conservative leadership in Washington means keeping more of your hard-earned money. For more information on the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, and how it affects you, visit whitehouse.gov/obbb/.

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South Dakota Voters Express Strong Broad Support for Vaccines

89% of SD Voters Say Vaccines are Essential
to Protecting Our Health and Our Kids

SIOUX FALLS, SD (February 6, 2026) – South Dakota Families for Vaccines released the results of a poll today that shows widespread support for vaccines among likely voters. The survey conducted by co/efficient reflected that nearly nine in ten voters (89%) say vaccines are very or somewhat important, with 76% saying childhood vaccines are very important.

“This polling confirms what we already know: voters understand the role vaccines play in keeping South Dakota healthy,” said Carmen Toft, director of South Dakota Families for Vaccines. “We expect our elected officials to protect the proven public health standards our families clearly value, not weaken them.”

Respondents overwhelmingly expressed confidence in traditional vaccines. A strong majority view traditional vaccines positively, with 90% saying they are a very or somewhat good thing, and 77% believing they are completely or mostly safe.

Support for maintaining school immunization requirements is decisive, with voters favoring current standards by a 76% to 24% margin. Voters prioritize preventing rare but deadly diseases over weakening long-standing safeguards.

Voters clearly reject non-medical exemptions, with nearly six in ten (59%) viewing them as a direct risk to children rather than an issue of parental rights. This finding reflects broad public understanding that strong vaccine requirements are essential to protecting kids, families, and community health.

The poll also shows strong agreement that vaccination is a shared responsibility. Nearly three-fourths (72%) believe individuals have a responsibility to protect public health, even when balanced against personal freedom considerations. Despite this clear public opinion, the House Health and Human Services Committee passed HB 1153 out of committee on Thursday with a floor debate likely next week.

The poll was conducted January 22-26, 2026 by the research and analytics company co/efficient. It surveyed 1414 likely general election voters and has a margin of error of +/-3.45%.

Vaccine Day of Advocacy

The poll’s findings come as South Dakota Families for Vaccines prepares to bring advocates and health care leaders to the Capitol for Vaccine Day of Advocacy on Thursday, February 12, in Pierre. SDFV will be joined by partners including Immunize South Dakota, the South Dakota State Medical Association, the South Dakota Public Health Association, and the South Dakota chapters of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Together, advocates will meet with lawmakers to share data, personal stories, and a clear message from voters: protecting public health and maintaining strong vaccine standards matters to South Dakota families.

About South Dakota Families for Vaccines

South Dakota Families for Vaccines is a volunteer-driven, grassroots network of South Dakotans dedicated to advocating for public health rooted in fact-based public policy and promoting immunizations across the lifespan for healthier families and communities. For more information visit www.sdfamiliesforvaccines.org.

Kind of getting tedious to write about Rep. Schaefbauer’s legislative efforts, or lack thereof, but they just keep coming.

After writing about her new bill, “Brandei’s Law,” and how all of her legislation seems to be coming from “Shandei,” I thought I was done.

Then Searchlight had a story about how she spoke on the floor on because she forgot her ivermectin, they should shield those prescribing horse medicine to humans from liability.  Nope. Not doing 3 in one day, even though this stuff begs to be written.

This morning, the bill that Rep. Schaefbauer was re-running from last year, House Concurrent Resolution 6008, was dispatched in almost record time by House Judiciary.  Schaefbauer testified for it, Phil Jensen testified for it. Dylan Jordan testified for it.  And then no opponents.  And no discussion?  It was moved do pass by Hunt.. which died for lack of a second. But then a motion was made to send it to the 41st day.  Boom. Quick, quiet, and done is done. That bill was killed.

But, why would they kill Schefbauer’s legislation like that? Why when her bills come up, are the people in the House of Representatives voting against it?

According to a comment from Representative Schaefbauer on facebook yesterday, under a post from Shad Olson about Schaefbauer’s copy-cat church riot bill, her bills are being dumped by the House of Representatives because there are too many tiny minds in the room.

Is claiming that the 48 members of the South Dakota House of Representatives who voted against House Bill 1124 are “tiny minds in the room” going to win supporters for Brandei and influence people to vote for her legislation?

I somewhat doubt it.

I just received a new item for my South Dakota collection, which I’m very excited about.

It ticks off a number of boxes for me; very early in South Dakota’s History, a unique item I have not seen before, and Lee S. might not have this one, so there’s a chance he may be jealous.  (Just kidding. Lee has built up an enormous collection of South Dakota political memorabilia that contains gems that you’d be challenged to find anywhere.)

What you’re seeing is an 1889 South Dakota Constitutional Prohibition Organization Merchant Token.

The token was struck for the Constitutional Prohibition Organization of South Dakota in support of the temperance movement.  It would have generally been attached to a ribbon by members of the organization, as a symbol of their stance against alcohol.

Here’s a little better photography from the eBay listing:

This token was worn/distributed in the run up to South Dakota’s first recognized election as a state in 1889. Aside from electing our first Governor, South Dakotans voted for and against the State Constitution (it won, 70,131 for, 3,267 against), and, whether to support the prohibition on alcohol, which won, 40,231 to 34,510.

Depending on whether you consider the ratification of the constitution as a ballot measure or not, the token is a campaign piece for either our state’s first or second ballot measure.

I’ve added it to my “prohibition frame,” because the prohibition movement in the state is woven into big electoral events in state history. Aside from the obvious 18th Amendment, The WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) was involved for a time in South Dakota’s suffrage movement.

The WCTU played a pivotal role in South Dakota’s suffrage movement, particularly during the late 1880s and 1890s, by organizing grassroots efforts and lobbying for women’s voting rights to secure “Home Protection”. Leaders like Alice Pickler and Helen M. Barker utilized WCTU networks to push for suffrage petitions and campaign for the failed 1890 referendum. Susan B. Anthony enlisted the WCTU to mobilize support for the 1890 South Dakota referendum, merging temperance and suffrage advocacy.

Of course, woman eventually earned the right to vote in South Dakota. Even though some politicians (ahem, Liz May) still refuse to allow it’s recognition in the state constitution, despite that effort having started all the way back to the state’s inception.

If you have a unique South Dakota historical item, especially State Capital campaign ribbons, drop me a note. I’m always interested!

Johnson Urges Strong Review of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railroad Merger

 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) led 47 House colleagues in expressing concerns to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) about the proposed Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) merger. The Representatives urge STB to complete a rigorous and comprehensive review of the merger application to ensure the transaction, if approved, would enhance competition and is in the public interest.

“Competition in the marketplace is healthy. Further limiting the number of competitors on our railways could cause prices to go up, affecting everyone from farmers to shippers to consumers,” said Johnson. “For weeks, I’ve heard concerns from South Dakota groups about the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger application and its potential impacts on service to our state. I am inherently skeptical that consolidation in any market leads to better outcomes for customers. The Board must consider with extreme care the risks posed by the proposal – I don’t want South Dakota farmers, manufacturers, and shippers left behind.”

Background:

• In 2001, the STB “Major Rail Consolidation Procedures” were adopted to outline how any future mergers between Class I railroads would be judged. Importantly, the new rules place a significant burden on would-be merging parties to demonstrate how the transaction would, among other requirements, enhance competition for rail shippers, ensure reliable rail service, and be in the interest of the public.
• Prior to 1980, there were thirty Class I railroads. Today, there are six. This proposed merger could further consolidate an already concentrated rail market, raising concerns about reduced competition, higher costs for shippers, and diminished service.
• This is of particular concern for agricultural and rural states, like South Dakota, with stakeholders who rely on efficient freight rail systems with limited alternatives.

Read the full letter here.

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From facebook, the District 4 House race is heating up as former State Representative Fred Deutsch called out several legislators, including his upcoming opponent Rep. Dylan Jordan, for voting to put women in jail – possibly for life – if they have an abortion:

“HB 1212: applied South Dakota’s homicide laws to unborn children, repealed existing law that explicitly protects women from criminal prosecution for abortion, and removed the current fetal homicide statute and replaced it with a system that would allow prosecutors to treat abortion as murder under general homicide law. Under this bill, women could have been charged with murder — potentially facing life in prison — for abortion.

and..

The four legislators who voted YES voted to criminalize women for abortion.  The nine legislators who voted NO voted not to criminalize women.  That’s it. That’s the vote.

How the votes break down:

VOTED YES — to criminalize women

Rep. Dylan Jordan
Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer
Rep. Josephine Garcia
Rep. Heather Baxter

VOTED NO — rejecting criminalization of women

Rep. Bobbi Andera
Rep. Brian Mulder
Rep. Logan Manhart
Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt
Rep. Nick Fosness
Rep. Leslie Heinemann
Rep. Jim Halverson
Rep. Tony Kayser
Rep. Eric Emery

Claiming this bill was about “abolishing abortion” is simply false.

You can follow that discussion here.

The bill was viewed as too extreme for nearly every single pro-life organization in South Dakota, as well as several right and hard-right conservative groups, and the Governor. Yet there were 4 legislators who sided with the out-of-state group who brought the measure. Three were sponsors; Rep. Dylan Jordan, Rep. Josephine Garcia, and Rep. Schaefbauer. One, Rep. Heather Baxter, voted for the bill to put women in jail, despite hearing the opposition of nearly everyone testifying on the measure.

I’m guessing this isn’t the last Rep. Jordan is going to hear about it from Fred. And Dylan may find himself at a disadvantage in the race. Because who wants to support a candidate who pledges to shoot down planes and votes to jail women for murder?

We seem to be getting beyond the spectrum of being liberal versus moderate versus conservative, into an arena where the views represented in the Republican Party consists of conservative, hard-right, and “need to have their head examined because they’re divorced from reality.”

Because if you’re voting to put women in jail for murder in this instance, you definitely need to have your head examined.

Rounds: South Dakota Native Royce Williams Set to Receive Medal of Honor

Award follows decade-long effort by Rounds’ team after declassification of Williams’ encounter with Russian fighter planes

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that President Donald Trump is awarding Wilmot, South Dakota native and retired U.S. Navy Captain E. Royce Williams with the Medal of Honor, the highest military honor in the United States. This follows a decade of research and requests from Rounds’ team following the declassification of Williams’ combat files in 2016.

“Royce Williams is a real-life Top Gun, a true American hero and will now be a recipient of our nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor,” said Rounds. “I was pleased that following the declassification of his dogfight with Soviet planes, Captain Williams’ Silver Star was upgraded to a Navy Cross after I met with then-Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. These awards were hard-earned and well-deserved. A provision in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act allowed President Trump to award the Medal of Honor. I’m pleased that President Trump and his team made the determination that Captain Williams is deserving of this honor and I’m looking forward to celebrating this momentous occasion.”

The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act included a provision that exempted Williams’ case from a requirement that the Medal of Honor be awarded within five years of the combat incident and allowed President Trump to award Williams with a Medal of Honor. This provision was sponsored by Representative Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who represents the congressional district in California where Williams now resides. Williams will be honored at a ceremony at the White House, with the exact date to be determined.

BACKGROUND:

On November 18, 1952, then-Lieutenant Williams led three F9F Panthers against seven Soviet MiG-15s, which according to the U.S. Naval Institute, were “superior to the F9F in almost every fashion.” His mission, which was the only direct overwater combat between U.S. Navy fighters and Soviet fighters during the Cold War, led to the protection of Task Force 77 from enemy attack. Capt. Williams’ heroic actions were classified due to rising tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union at the time.

After the engagement was declassified in 2016, Rounds’ office spent years conducting research, sending formal requests for records and maintaining communication with various stakeholders on behalf of Capt. Williams. On February 19, 2021, Rounds sent a letter to then-Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Harker seeking assistance in obtaining gun camera film from Williams’ mission. Rounds also sent a letter to the Archivist of the United States David Ferriero to request an expedited search for Williams’ records on May 25, 2021. On July 12, 2021, Rounds met with then-incoming Secretary of the Navy Del Toro and asked the Navy to review Williams’ case. Rounds followed up with Secretary Del Toro asking for his personal review of the case on August 18, 2021.

In 2023, following repeated engagement with Secretary Del Toro, Williams’ Silver Star Medal was upgraded to a Navy Cross, which is the Navy’s second-highest military decoration. Rounds and his staff have remained engaged with the Navy and the National Archives and Records Administration related to Williams’ case.

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