I’m hearing through the grapevine that Republican Candidate for Governor Lora “stick a knife in that outlet” Hubbel has her petition signature collection moving… but what I’m told is that she’s doing so with at least one paid circulator.

If I could offer a suggestion for anyone she’s paying based on her hundred dollar campaign finance report? Cash up front.

Along the lines of Hubbel’s campaign cash…

It looks like the first ‘Hubbel House’ she claims to be using to finance her campaign is going on the market.

Putting my REALTOR hat on, unless someone shows up with a cash offer with no appraisal, normally that’s going to take her anywhere from 30 to 45 days to close in part because of disclosures and notices that have to be provided by a lender to the person taking out the loan. Not to mention the amount of time to get an appraiser in there.

If she were to get an accepted offer this weekend, figure she would likely not have a check in hand until sometime in March at the earliest.

That’s a long time to run with no campaign funds. Or maybe a better way to put it is “it is unlike any campaign I have ever seen.”

And not in a good way.

South Dakota College Republicans Endorse Campus Free Speech Act

South Dakota College Republican Chairwoman, Emily Novotny, announced today that she has endorsed House Bill 1073, otherwise known as the Campus Free Speech Act. This bill is scheduled to have its first hearing in the House Judiciary Committee in the coming week.

“Our Universities should be institutions of free thought where debate should be open and free, not ‘safe spaces’ where people pass rules to avoid being challenged. If we can’t openly have conversations, explore different ideas, and debate at our Universities, where on earth can we have these conversations?”

The measure, which was introduced by Republican State Representative Michael Clark, was introduced because of incidents across the country where various speakers have be shut down on campuses for differing opinions.

Representative Clark along with many others in the State Legislature want to ensure that South Dakota does not become a place where free speech is suffocated.

Novotny said, “South Dakota needs to be a state that promotes free speech everywhere, whether we agree with that speech or not. My hope is that this bill will pass through the State Legislature as a sign of support and insurance of the enduring right to free speech throughout the great state of South Dakota.”

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Lora Hubbel raised $100 for her campaign. That’s not $100k, but $100. I’m not sure what more you say about that.

Hubbel for Governor 2017 Year End Financial Report by Pat Powers on Scribd

Interestingly, Hubbel is claiming she didn’t spend anything, despite procuring a web domain, and having someone put up a website for her.  But that’s pretty minor in comparison to the fact a candidate for Governor is claiming she only raised $100 total in all of 2017.

Noem Refuses Corporate Contributions, Announces Campaign Finance Reform Proposal

Noem leads by example in fight to restore integrity and transparency in SD politics

Sioux Falls, S.D. – Citing the need to restore transparency and integrity in the South Dakota electoral process, Rep. Kristi Noem today announced her campaign has not and will not accept corporate contributions nor will the campaign take funds from Political Action Committees that were established with the intent to circumvent individual contribution limits. Click to view Noem’s campaign finance agenda.

“Current campaign finance laws in South Dakota contain loopholes that could allow corporations and individuals to shatter campaign contribution limitations,” said Noem. “While reforms are needed to address these problems, I will not wait to act until the campaign finance laws catch up to what’s right. I will lead by example. And if elected as your governor, I will work with the legislature to close these loopholes. If we are going to change the culture of South Dakota politics, we need to set a standard of genuine accountability from the very beginning.”

KRISTI NOEM’S CAMPAIGN FINANCE AGENDA

Ban corporate contributions. Big money in politics often leads to bigger government, conflicts of interest and potentially scandal. I will lead from the front on this issue. While corporate contributions became legal in South Dakota in 2017, I have not and will not accept them.  If elected Governor, I will push to once again prohibit corporate campaign contributions.

Limit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to a candidate committee. Individuals are under strict limitations as to the amount they can legally contribute to a political candidate in South Dakota. PAC contributions are currently unlimited. Moreover, there is potential for PACs to be created with the sole purpose of evading the individual contribution limits and attempting to obscure the source of campaign funds from public scrutiny. Like both individual contributions and PAC contributions to federal candidates are, PAC contributions to state candidates should be limited.

Close the loophole that allows donors to shatter individual contribution limits. Under current law, an individual can contribute $4,000 to a candidate committee each calendar year. At the same time, they can write a $10,000 check to a PAC each calendar year. There are currently no safeguards in place to ensure individuals don’t contribute $4,000 directly and then another $10,000 through a PAC that was established with the intention of circumventing South Dakota’s contribution limits.

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It is Not a Woman’s Consent That Matters, It is God’s https://t.co/yjwKgRiMbQ

— Lora Hubbel (@LoraHubbel) January 25, 2018

Dusty Johnson Continues to Break Fundraising Records
Raises Over $100,000 for Fifth Consecutive Quarter; Exceeds $600,000 Raised in Total

MITCHELL, SD – The Dusty Johnson for Congress campaign announced today that it raised $115,000 in contributions during the fourth quarter of 2017. This raises Dusty’s overall fundraising sum to a record-breaking $600,000 in South Dakota’s Republican primary. $600,000 is more than any previous challenger or open seat candidate for Congress at this stage in the race and Dusty Johnson is on pace to continue setting South Dakota fundraising records.  Dusty has raised more than $100,000 for five consecutive quarters.

“I think this is a clear indication that South Dakotans are looking for a solutions-oriented candidate to represent them in Washington,” said Dusty Johnson. “Whether it’s answering your questions through my ‘Ask Dusty’ videos on Facebook, meeting for coffee to listen to your concerns about our nation, or shaking hands outside of the farm show – South Dakotans are learning that I’m the only candidate for Congress that has the know how to get Washington back on track.”

Dusty Johnson grew up in a working-class family in central South Dakota and graduated from the University of South Dakota. A former policy staff member for Governor Mike Rounds, Dusty learned early on he had a passion for public service. After serving on the Public Utilities Commission, Dusty became Governor Daugaard’s Chief of Staff and helped lead the state out of a $127 million deficit. Dusty currently works as Vice President at Vantage Point Solutions in Mitchell where he helps telecommunication companies deploy fiber and broadband into rural communities.

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I had a note today from South Dakota Right to Life who asked me to post the following:

SD Right-to-Life is incredibly grateful for the work our legislature, Attorney General and courts have done to help us reduce the devastation of abortion in SD, and look forward to continuing to work with them until abortion is not only illegal in South Dakota, but unthinkable.

The Mark Mickelson led ballot measure group “Tuition 4 Tech Students” has filed their end of year  campaign finance report with the Secretary of State. And we have it for you here:

Tuition 4 Tech Students 2017 EOY Campaign Finance Report by Pat Powers on Scribd

What do we know?  It appears that the funding for the ballot measure to date has come almost exclusively from Speaker Mickelson, and Denny Sanford/First Premier Bank.

Mickelson drew from campaign funds in his Leadership PAC, from campaign funds in his House Campaign account, and from business funds to contribute a bit over $25k to the effort, with another $25k coming from First Premier Bank.

No word on any opponents to the measure organizing as of yet.

The ballot measure’s purpose is to increase the Tobacco Tax with the proceeds going towards tech schools. The measure is awaiting approval for the ballot by the Secretary of State, and once it passes that hurdle, it will go to voters in the 2018 General Election.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 7th Annual Attorney General Top Gun Shooting Competition to raise money for CASA. Congratulations to the 2018 Top Gun- Representative Mark Willadsen. pic.twitter.com/qRsVXGhjP3

— Marty Jackley (@martyjackley) January 25, 2018

Results of Attorney General’s 7th Annual Legislative Shootout Contest

PIERRE, S.D. – “South Dakota enjoys, respects, and protects the fundamental right of the state and our law abiding citizens to bear arms. The Attorney General’s Legislative Shootout is intended to support our constitutional rights, test legislator’s marksmanship and raise money for important causes,” said Attorney General Jackley. Legislators donate to a charity and there is no cost to taxpayers.
Below are the top three places for this year’s contest:

1. Representative Mark Willadsen (District 11)
2. Representative Steve Livermont (District 27)
3. Representative Greg Jamison (District 12)

Representative Willadsen’s name will proudly be displayed on a plaque at the Attorney General’s Office. Monies raised during this event go to the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program.

Secretary of State and Congressional Candidate Shantel Krebs sent out an e-mail blast yesterday claiming that’s she’s the front runner in the Congressional race, proclaiming boldly that “We Are Winning” based on an on-line poll being conducted by the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan:

The problem with the claim that “We are winning” based on the on-line poll?  If you go to the poll at the Yankton Newspaper which you can find here, as of 7:30 this morning, Krebs’ early boast might have been an overly eager assessment:

“Oh no! What happened! Now the other team is up!”

Seriously though, it just goes to show you if you’re claiming you’re ahead based on an unscientific newspaper poll, you really should be spending your energy elsewhere.

As I said back in March 2017, the last time the Krebs campaign tried to claim they had the momentum based on an on-line newspaper poll, If the 2018 Congressional election is going to be all about who is more popular in newspaper web polls, it’s going to be a long, long campaign.