South Dakota Democrats were boasting to the Pierre Capitol Journal that they’d filled all 105 State Legislative slots. So, where are they?

Early Thursday, the Capital Journal tallied three of the 35 districts statewide that still lacked a Democrat as a candidate, and nearly a dozen districts that lacked a complete pair of Democrats as House candidates. But Matson told the Capital Journal he’s expecting a complete slate of Democrats as candidates, filling all 105 slots in the legislature.

Krebs told the Capital Journal that some candidates from both parties – for various state offices – had failed to meet the minimum number of signatures, and would be notified by letter. The website does not include a list of candidates who didn’t have enough signatures.

If all the Democratic legislative candidates have enough valid signatures, Matson said it would be the first time the party has had candidates in all 105 slots, since 1984 when the current format for the state legislature was adopted. The legislature has 35 districts, each represented by a senator and two members of the House.

The previous high came in 2008, the year Barack Obama was elected, when 101 out of 105 slots were filled, Matson said.

Read that here.

I’m counting 92 at the moment. Not exactly 105. And there are a number of those that are obvious placeholders.

You have to wonder how deep a dive they had to do to fill that many slots, as they’ve gone to some unusual lengths to recruit before, as noted in this example from 2012:

There are places it wouldn’t be shocking to see the address of an assisted living center but listed as the residence of a political candidate is unique.

“They didn’t have anyone ready for the primaries. So they thought of something to do, to get out petitions and place my name on the ballot,” Dorothy Kellogg said.

Kellogg says she didn’t intend to actually run for the two-year term.

Democrats in the Watertown area needed another name on the ballot. So she planned to have her name there as a placeholder. Then she’d file the correct paperwork, take her name off and replace it with another democrat.

But Kellogg, who served in the legislature in the 80s and 90s, recently received a letter saying her complete paperwork didn’t make it to the Secretary of State’s office by the deadline. So her name, by state law, will stay on the ballot.

Read that here.

According to the Secretary of State, August 7th is the last day for placeholder candidates to withdraw from the general election (ARSD 5:02:07:05. (SDCL 12-6-55).

We’ll know by then what cards Democrats are actually holding. And how much they’re bluffing.

Thor Bardon, candidate for Sioux Falls City Council, has a video out encouraging people to go vote an an early absentee basis:

The Argus Leader did a joint interview and profile of Christine Erickson v. Nick Weiland in the Sioux Falls City Council race.

And they couldn’t be more different.

One’s a liberal. One’s a conservative.

One’s held office before. One hasn’t.

One champions limited government. The other wants government to do more.

The backgrounds and political philosophies of Christine Erickson and Nick Weiland couldn’t be further from one another, and that means Sioux Falls voters shouldn’t have much trouble figuring out which one best reflects their own values and ideas.

And…

And though she’s a Republican, partisan politics take a backseat when making decisions about city business, she said.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “In this role, you’ve got to build those relationships to get stuff done.”

And..

We can address what we can’t get done in Pierre and Washington D.C. here at home,” he said.

During his campaign, which started as a pursuit for the mayor’s office, Weiland floated ideas that tend to align with his political party, like establishing a municipal minimum wage, creating a needle exchange program to address a growing opioid epidemic and more social programming.

Erickson, though, says much of that falls outside of the realm of the traditional role of city government. Rather, the city needs to focus on ensuring individuals, property owners and entrepreneurs aren’t saddled with unnecessary regulations.

Read it all here.

So, while Erickson wants to remove unnecessary regulations and barriers to doing business, the dude with a man bun wants to hand out needles to drug users.

Wow.

I think I know how this one is going to go.

I was out of the house most of last night, seeing my dad in the hospital, meeting with a candidate, and doing a bail bond. When I finally rolled back in, my wife noted to me that she received an interesting polling call.

It started out innocuous enough, but soon went out into several “if you knew Shantel Krebs did this”.. or “voted for this”.. would it affect your vote for the candidate? And some of the questions were harsh. She was asked “if she knew that Shantel supported putting monitors in personal vehicles, would it make her more likely or less likely to support the candidate,” and it ramped up from there.

It hit on Krebs’ support for the national popular vote movement, increased taxes, lack of transparency, her ‘Facebook Page scandal,’ etc. Some of the statements were so harsh my wife had to stop them and question whether they were true. She eventually hung up, but indicated the messages they were testing were very direct and pulled no punches.

I did ask team Dusty if they were in the field polling, and they indicated they were not. So it’s unknown whether the Tapio campaign or a third party is out there seeing what the best way is going to be to take the bark off of Krebs in the campaign.

But someone is out there seeing what might work.

Stay tuned.

Ah, the gift that keeps on giving – Lora Hubbel’s Facebook page. Tonight, I find out that according to Lora, my station in life has been elevated:

#3 in the SDGOP line up? So does that put me ahead of, or behind Governor Daugaard? I’m guessing according to Lora, it certainly puts me ahead of Matt Michaels, despite the fact I do not have the capability of growing a fine mustache like that.

I never thought that writing a political blog and selling a few campaign signs would elevate me into such rarefied air.

Prepare to bow to me. (I’m going to be making a few new rules around here!)

Dusty Johnson’s petitions to become a candidate for Congress were certified this afternoon. But no Terry Lee LaFleur for Governor petitions yet.

Did he not make the ballot?  Stay tuned…

Additional Rulings in Gear Up Case 

PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms that a Motions Hearing was held today in the Gear Up case. The following motions were addressed and ruled on:

• Defendants Daniel Mark Guericke and Stacy Lee Phelps request for Motion for Change of Venue, which was objected by the State, was granted and the jury trial will be held in Minnehaha
• Defendants Daniel Mark Guericke and Stacy Lee Phelps Motion for Severance of their cases for jury trial, which was objected by the State, was denied. Both Defendants will be tried together before a

The jury trial for Stephanie Hubers will commence on June 25, 2018, in Sioux Falls. Defendants Guericke and Phelps’s jury trial will commence on July 9, 2018, in Sioux Falls.

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Jackley Announces Commitment to South Dakota Veterans

SIOUX FALLS, SD: To honor National Vietnam War Veterans Day, Attorney General Marty Jackley announced his Commitment to South Dakota Veterans.

“Today we honor the brave service of the 192 South Dakotans who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War, pray for the missing and POWs, and thank God for the safety of those who returned,” Jackley said. “They fought for their friends, their families and their flag, and now it’s our turn to fight for them.”

Jackley’s pledge to veterans includes commitments to:

• Respect the ideas and ideals defended by the courageous actions of our military, including the flag and the national anthem.
• Work with our more than 20 veteran service organizations here in South Dakota to ensure they have a voice in state government and promote Americanism programs for our youth.
• Insist that the federal government live up to its obligations to America’s heroes.
• Fight to save the Black Hills VA Health Care System in Hot Springs.
• Visit Veteran’s Administration hospitals to verify that South Dakota has the facilities to provide the health care our veterans deserve.
• Promote the State Veterans Home Endowment Fund to enhance the quality of life for the residents at the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veteran’s Home.
• Direct the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA) to assess the affordable housing and retirement options for our veterans.
• Support the new Veteran’s Cemetery near Sioux Falls and the expansion of the Black Hills National Cemetery.
• Support the critical mission of our South Dakota National Guard as commander-in-chief.
• Advocate for Ellsworth Air Force Base and other facilities vital to our national security.
• Commit to hiring veterans at all levels of state government. Those veterans who wish to continue their service to South Dakota by working in state government will be welcomed by the Jackley administration.

The Jackley Commitment to South Dakota Veterans is the result of a collaborative effort of veterans like Gary Van Regenmorter of Sioux Falls, who endorsed Jackley in a video released today.

Van Regenmorter is a Marine who served in Vietnam from May 1965 to June 1966. He is currently owner and manager of Koality Construction in Sioux Falls.

“I’ve talked to Marty about PTSD and the other challenges our veterans face when they return home,” Van Regenmorter said. “Veterans’ issues are important to him, and he’s the right choice to lead South Dakota.”

Watch Van Regenmorter’s endorsement video:

Noem Opens Watertown Campaign Office

WATERTOWN, S.D. – Kristi Noem this week held a grand opening of her Watertown Campaign Office. The office will serve as a volunteer outreach center, where South Dakotans can find information about Noem’s vision for South Dakota as well as collect signs, bumper stickers, and other Team Noem materials. The office is located at 1333 9th Ave. SE in Watertown.

“I am so humbled by the Watertown community’s support, because it’s the people here who know me best,” said Noem. “Many in this community stood by me as I worked to stabilize our farm and ranch after my dad passed away. These are the people who have seen first-hand how I managed our hunting lodge and my mom’s restaurant and built our family’s insurance business. To have their trust, encouragement, and support means the absolute world to me.”

PHOTO FROM THE GRAND OPENING

 

Noem’s Words Used Against South Dakota

PIERRE, SD: In a Supreme Court brief filed by Wayfair, Inc. Wednesday, the company fighting against fairness for South Dakota businesses cited the opposition of Congresswoman Kristi Noem.

“In fact, South Dakota’s sole Congressperson has cautioned what the impact of overruling Quill would be in the absence of federal legislation,” Wayfair wrote.

Wayfair then goes on to quote a release from Noem:

“If the Supreme Court rules in South Dakota’s favor, it could become a marketplace free-for-all,” she said in a statement that misconstrues the facts of the case and its impact on South Dakota.

The opposing brief comes as Attorney General Marty Jackley travels to Washington to prepare to argue the case for South Dakota.

“While Attorney General Jackley is fighting for South Dakota and our Main Street businesses at the US Supreme Court, Congresswomen Noem’s own words are being used against South Dakota,” said Jackley for Governor campaign manager Jason Glodt. “South Dakota businesses deserve better, and we’re calling on the Congresswoman to publicly retract the statements she made that are being cited in the Wayfair brief.”

South Dakota has been joined in the case by 45 state attorneys general and the Trump administration.

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