If I said that the incoming freshman class of Republican legislative candidates is darned impressive, I don’t think I’d be contradicted in that statement.

Republicans can point to at least three candidates running for the House of Representatives who have earned or are earning the title of ‘Doctor’ in their studies across a diverse range of disciplines. And if they’re successful in their campaigns, they will be bringing that talent and knowledge to the House Republican Caucus in January of 2019.

Dr. Paul Miskimins of Mitchell just filed his papers to run as a Republican for the House in Legislative District 20.

Miskimins received his Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from the University of South Dakota and graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry. If successful, he would be the second Dentist in the State House, joining Dr. Leslie Heinemann of Flandreau.

Scyller Borglum of Rapid City has a surname that’s synonymous with the Black Hills region, and in addition to sharing a name with the carver of Mt. Rushmore, the professional background of this District 32 House Candidate has a similar association with rocks.

Because in addition to her work in the private sector, she’s graduating in May with Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.  And to that impressive degree you can add her previous work earning a Masters of Science in Petroleum Engineering, a Masters of Theological Studies, and a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration.

We also have Dr. Tamera Enalls of Sioux Falls joining the list, as she’s soon going to be officially announcing her candidacy for the House as a Republican in District 25.   Tammy, a Sioux Falls businesswoman, has her Doctor of Management, and is a published author & international speaker.

She was an author of 1994 Federal Crime Bill reform provisions and has been contributing to policy reform for the National Diversity Coalition at President Trump’s request.   She just missed being elected to the Sioux Falls City Council in 2016 as a first-time candidate by only 40 votes, so she’s energized to give campaigning another go.

And let me close this out by noting there will be another candidate with Dr. in front of their name announcing for the House later this week, but I can’t say who yet. Let’s just say we’ve heard his name before, and he’s going to be an energetic campaigner.

The best part – the GOP isn’t done yet. There are more great candidates coming!

Keep your browser bookmarked here and stay tuned!

From Facebook:

Noem: NRA is Welcome to South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS, SD — Kristi Noem today released the following statement in the wake of the Dallas, Texas, Mayor Pro Tem asking the NRA to relocate their convention:

“The NRA would be welcome to South Dakota. We understand the freedoms and liberties that come with defending our Second Amendment, how it allows us to protect our families and carry on South Dakota’s cherished hunting traditions. Especially after a successful Pheasant Fest and Stock Show, South Dakota is ready, and we would be proud to celebrate those freedoms and traditions as host of the NRA Convention.”

Noem, who is a lifetime member of the NRA and once owned a hunting lodge in northeast South Dakota, has been a proud defender of the Second Amendment. Most recently, Noem led the U.S. House in passing national concealed carry legislation.

From Facebook this morning:

Noem Campaign Kickoff Continues in Rapid City, Sturgis Wednesday

Rapid City, S.D. – Kristi Noem will be in Rapid City and Sturgis on Wednesday, February 21, as part of her statewide campaign kickoff tour. During the tour, Noem will host events in rural Hamlin County, Pierre, Rapid City, Sturgis, Aberdeen, Sioux Falls, Yankton, Vermillion and Mitchell.

WHAT: Noem to Host Meet and Greet in Sturgis
WHEN: Wednesday, February 21 – 11:45AM (MT)
WHERE: Belle Joli Winery (3951 Vanocker Canyon Road, Sturgis)

WHAT: Noem to Host Tourism Listening Session in Rapid City
WHEN: Wednesday, February 21 – 2:00PM (MT)
WHERE: Black Hills Visitor Information Center (1851 Discovery Circle, Rapid City)

WHAT: Noem to Open West River Campaign Headquarters
WHEN: Wednesday, February 21 – 5:00PM (MT)
WHERE: Kristi for Governor West River Campaign Headquarters (1739 W Main Street, Rapid City)

A group appears to have formed out west – the SD Voices for Peaceful Justice & Diversity – and is actively promoting an upcoming anti-sharia law event coming on April 6th at the Alex Johnson in Rapid City, similar to events that have taken place in Aberdeen.

Curiously, the group seems to be trying to co-opt the name of the Sioux Falls groups calling themselves “South Dakota Voices for Peace” and “South Dakota Voices for Justice.”

And while it has no immediate organization or contact information available, one of the few people noting as attending at this early date is Ed Randazzo, who is affiliated with the Family Heritage Alliance group.  Ed comments below, and it’s not him, so the mystery continues.

Tapio Challenges Candidates, Elected Leaders to Speak Frankly About Refugee Resettlement, Islamic Terror

(Tuesday, February 19, 2018) With a looming showdown over the Federal Refugee Resettlement Program scheduled for Wednesday’s Senate State Affairs Committee in Pierre, congressional candidate and Watertown State Senator Neal Tapio is issuing a challenge to every elected leader and political candidate in South Dakota: Find the courage to have an open and honest dialogue about Islamic terrorism and the statistical reality of incidental violence and terrorist threat presented by Islamic refugee populations in the United States.

“The time is long past when we can allow our elected leaders to hide behind the comfortable, politically correct language that refuses to even utter the phrase, “Islamic terrorism,” Tapio said.

“I call on every candidate for Attorney General, Governor and Congress to publicly support or reject SB 200,” Tapio said.

“Tell us whether or not you think the refugee resettlement program is safe. Tell the citizens of South Dakota if you agree with Governor Daugaard that those concerned about islamic terrorism and refugee resettlements from terror prone counties are just fear mongers, as Governor Daugaard says. Be specific. Tell the people of South Dakota whether or not you think Somali violence and terrorism is a real threat that should be addressed.” Tapio said.

“We live in challenging times. This is not the time for weak politicians to run for office avoiding the real issues, offering platitudes and throwing out breath mints. Those days are over. The issues are too large and complex and the solutions are too complicated and controversial for politics as usual. We need leaders to take a stand, not politicians that take a poll. The people just want to know what you really think.”

Tapio’s bill, Senate Bill 200, would immediately end all forced refugee resettlement in South Dakota from the five nations listed in President Donald Trump’s travel ban. Proponents call it a much needed response to stemming the tide of Islamic immigration to the United States and the risk that concentrated Muslim communities become hotbeds of radicalized Islamic practice and thought and potential incubators for sleeper cell terrorism on American soil.

To underscore the necessity of decisive action to end forced refugee resettlement in America, Tapio will be joined in committee testimony by an impressive lineup of national security and policy experts who will offerstatistical analysis of the criminal activity, propensity for terrorism radicalization and social and economic costs shouldered by communities and states where large refugee populations are proving incapable of peacefully and safely assimilating into the general population. Tapio sees it as a clear line of demarcation on a crucially sensitive matter of national destiny.

“Wednesday’s hearing on my bill to end refugee resettlement in South Dakota (SB 200) will expose the fraudsters, the cowards and the pretenders in this debate, who are not only unwilling to speak openly about the threats facing our nation, but are also helping each other profit politically and corporately by their acceptance of horrible program and policy,” Tapio said.

Noem in Pierre Tuesday

Pierre, S.D. – Kristi Noem will welcome South Dakotans for coffee and cookies at the Ramkota Inn in Pierre on Tuesday, February 20. Noem will talk with attendees about her recent work and her vision for South Dakota, as well as take questions.

WHAT: Noem to Host Meet and Greet in Pierre

WHEN: Tuesday, February 20 – 3:00PM (CT)

WHERE: Ramkota Inn (920 W Sioux Ave, Pierre)

Noem to Host Campaign Kick-Off Rally TODAY

Watertown, S.D. – Kristi Noem will host a rally Monday, February 19, to officially launch her campaign to become South Dakota’s next governor. The rally will be held at Kone’s Korner in Castlewood, South Dakota, where she first launched her 2010 congressional campaign.

Noem was born and raised in rural Hamlin County, just miles from where Kone’s Korner is located. There, she farmed and ranched while also starting a hunting lodge, running an insurance agency with her husband, and helping manage her mom’s restaurant. In 2006, she was elected to represent the area in the South Dakota state legislature. She was elected to the U.S. House four years later. While there, she’s negotiated a 5-year Farm Bill as well as one of the largest tax cuts in U.S. history. Noem is now looking to put that diversity of experience to work as South Dakota’s next governor.

WHAT: Noem to Hold Rally Launching Gubernatorial Campaign

WHEN: Monday, February 19 – 5:00pm(CT)

WHERE: Kone’s Korner (18299 US Hwy 81, Castlewood)

In the midst of the election chatter of the last week, I found myself observing some of the most futile and in some cases, ridiculous antics to date coming from what many Republicans would term as the hard right.

Lora Hubbel was busy being Lora, which by now qualifies for its own DSM Code. When he wasn’t attacking a long-dead Governor as being a career politician, Stace Nelson was on Facebook promoting an implausible conspiracy theory written by a guy in Iowa about a plot to deny him the US Senate seat.

It all has me asking the question – So, where have the ‘good’ strong conservative Republicans gone?

Let me start that conversation by noting that they’re still there. Conservative Republicans have long assumed the mantle of Republican leadership in this state. It’s been reflected in the party’s platform growing ever more conservative over the years.  In fact, some use the term ‘conservative’ interchangeably with ‘Republican.’

When party leadership is as conservative as it is up and down the board; strongly pro-life, pro-gun, etcetera and so on, I’d argue that the divisions in the GOP are less a matter of philosophical divisions, and more a matter that those who are not in charge are busy trying to figure out how they can become the people in charge.

It’s not a matter of philosophy as much as it is of coalitions, and if you can break them by throwing enough rocks.

Organizationally, Gordon Howie attempted to circle the wagons for the harder right conservatives back in 2010. Howie’s coalition was probably the first one in recent years in Republican circles to try to divide the GOP up by those who were ‘real Republicans’ and those who did not fit his guidelines.

Howie tried to rally the most conservative in the GOP to his cause, but could not achieve the critical mass to get over the line in the 2010 GOP Gubernatorial Primary. In fact, he didn’t come even close, and only garnered a little over 12% when the votes were totaled.

His base further eroded when he supported Stace Nelson for US Senate in the 2014 GOP Primary, only to abandon Nelson’s candidacy before the primary to run himself as an Independent, where he got 3%. By 2017, Howie’s influence was almost nil, and has seemingly reached its aphelion.

2017 also found former State Senator Dan Lederman planning a bold gambit to attempt something that had not been done in nearly 50 years – direct selection of the State Republican Party Chair. It was an unheard of and audacious move.

Helping Lederman’s cause was a movement among conservative activists in the GOP that they wanted more of a direct voice in party affairs. They had come off of a term of office from the Governor’s choice for that office, Pam Roberts, who seemed ambivalent about another term, and who may have signaled she was not going to run.

Without getting into the details, Lederman was able to successfully build a Republican coalition and capture the Chairman’s seat, and in the time since for most all concerned, he has earned positive reviews among the GOP faithful for his performance.

Did I say most all?

Another factor cropped up in 2017, the year which marked a return to elected office for the same Stace Nelson who came in third in the US Senate Race in 2014. The same Stace Nelson who I noted earlier was promoting conspiracy theories about that Senate race this week.

During the near entirety of his political career, Nelson has always seemed be involved with attacks on Republican Leadership. If not doing so directly, at the least he’s been viewed as hanging out on the periphery of attacking leadership, and trying to insinuate that they’re not true conservatives or not Republican enough.

Since returning to office in 2017, his attacks seem to be mainly directed at State Party Chair Dan Lederman, as if Nelson is on a mission. And, he might be.  That mission might be to try to derail a long-standing civil lawsuit against Nelson by Lederman’s Rushmore PAC for being involved in an illegal robocall scheme which seeks monetary damages for the unwanted phone calls.

But, the sometimes nonsensical attacks also seem to be an effort to try to break people off from the Lederman Republican party coalition. The word is Nelson may have enlisted his allies in former Howie group Citizens for Liberty to attack the party chair, at the same time he’s trying to gin up already settled nonsense over the chair of the party‘s near decades old voter registration.

But much like the Howie efforts of yore, the problem with trying to peel people away from the existing Republican coalition that Lederman has been able to assemble is that there’s unruly people bleating a lot of noise about ‘who is a true Republican.’ ….but there’s otherwise no reason to side with the people throwing rocks other than to be a rock thrower.

For most Republicans on the inside of party affairs, the truth of the matter is that they like organization, execution, cohesive planning and goals.  As conservatives, most ignore the petty horsesh*t that comes with twitter attacks and Facebook conspiracies. They aren’t there to throw barbs 140 characters at a time. They’re taking part to get Republicans elected to office.  And rock-throwing simply for the sake of rock-throwing does not appeal to them.

I think it’s safe to assume that no matter who is in charge, rock-throwers will always be there.

For the rest of the people in the GOP who are there to get the job done, the ‘real Republicans’ get the envelopes licked, go door to door, and to get their people elected.  Despite all the drama from people throwing rocks and jockeying.