From my Mailbox, an update on the forum recently held in Rapid City by Americans for Prosperity:

South Dakota’s Rep. Kristi Noem joined Americans for Prosperity to share her work in Washington on tax reform. Rep. Noem faced the absurdity of burdensome tax policy when her family was left to pay a “death tax” after her father’s death. She helped shape this most recent tax reform with situations like this in mind.

Bottom line: tax reform is going to benefit South Dakota. Individuals and families will get to keep more of their own money and small businesses will have more to invest in their businesses and employees.

Listen to what Rep. Noem has to say about the benefits of tax reform for South Dakotans!

For Freedom,

Don Haggar
State Director
Americans for Prosperity – South Dakota

I’ve had a couple people ask where the Jackley Campaign is getting their “Over 1 Million Dollars” raised statement with the Campaign fund noting it had raised $920,000.

I had ventured, and the campaign had confirmed that the “Over 1 Million” is also including funds raised by the affiliated Friends of Marty Jackley Political Action Committee, who’s report you can read here:

Friends of Jackley PAC 2017 Year End Report by Pat Powers on Scribd

The Political Action Committee allowed several people to contribute to that campaign at a higher limit than the $4000 limit imposed on candidate committees, with 4 who contributed $10,000 each, and a Husband/wife (David & Jill Bockorny) who contributed $17,000 combined. (Bockorny also contributed another $2500 to a different PAC, Leading South Dakota who contributed to the main campaign).

According to the Secretary of State, under state law, any political action committee may make unlimited contributions to any candidate, political action committee, ballot question, or political party.

The Political Action Committee raised $118,000 and has $92k cash on hand which it can move over to the campaign as it desires. 

Now, Congresswoman Noem also has outside sources separate from her main gubernatorial campaign committee. Kristi has 2 separate committees, her Congressional Campaign Fund, and her Leadership PAC that could send money to her Gubernatorial campaign. But being Federal, they aren’t required to file for a while. So, you’ll have to wait to see what else could be brought to bear.

More to come!

A friend and reader passed these along from Democrat Tim Bjorkman’s part of the state where I’m told they’re showing up in stacks in local coffee shops and taverns.

The Bjorkman campaign notes that he stands for a mandatory $11.00 adult minimum wage, which really doesn’t fly with business owners and retailers, and represents a nearly $4.00 an hour jump ($3.75 if you’re being exact) in the federal minimum wage.  That’s likely something that liberal dems will get behind.

As Bjorkman does something to energize his Democrat base, then he throws cold water on them and notes that he wants to “Require able-bodied adults to work in order to qualify for assistance,” something that the left hasn’t exactly been fond of in the past as Republicans have promoted the idea. In fact, some liberals are complaining about Governor Daugaard tying work to Medicaid benefits, calling it “cruel.”

Is Democrat Bjorkman trying for a broader based appeal than his Democrat base provides him? (Notice you dont see “Democrat on his card.)

Or will he end up alienating people on both sides of the aisle.

Dakota Posts was busy this weekend, as the Facebook humor site is poking at Stace Nelson again this morning:

Hot off the Press from Dakota Posts via facebook:

Thune Statement on Senate Democrats’ Vote to Block 20-Week Abortion Ban

“Today, Democrats voted to keep the United States as one of only seven countries in the world, including China and North Korea, that allow elective abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy – an age at which the baby can feel pain.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today released the following statement after Senate Democrats voted to block the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, Thune-supported legislation that would protect unborn children who have reached the age of 20 weeks from being killed by abortion.

“Every child, born and unborn, should be protected in law,” said Thune. “Today, Democrats voted to keep the United States as one of only seven countries in the world, including China and North Korea, that allow elective abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy – an age at which the baby can feel pain. While the outcome of today’s vote is not what I had hoped for, the fact remains that a majority of the U.S. Senate and a majority of the American people agree with what we’re trying to do, and I will continue to be a voice for the most vulnerable among us and support efforts in Congress to get this bill passed.”

Earlier this month, Thune delivered a speech on the March for Life, the annual event that brings tens of thousands of Americans to Washington, D.C., to stand up for the right to life. He discussed why now is the time to pass legislation like the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

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Rounds Statement on Senate Vote on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), an original cosponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, today made the following statement after it failed to receive enough votes to advance in the Senate:

“We have an obligation to defend the dignity of all life, from conception to natural death,” said Rounds. “Unborn children feel pain at the 20 week mark of pregnancy, and are even able to begin to hear at that point in the second trimester. The United States is one of only seven countries, including China and North Korea, which allows abortions after 20 weeks. I am proud to have been an original cosponsor of this legislation. Despite today’s failed vote, I will continue fighting for an end to this inhumane practice.”

The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would limit abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, as it has been found that unborn children can feel pain at that stage of pregnancy. Exceptions are included for rape, incest or to save the mother’s life.

Rounds was also an original cosponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act when it was introduced during the previous congress.

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The Paul Ten Haken for Mayor campaign in Sioux Falls released a document today with the candidate’s “2026 plan” outlining his plan for Sioux Falls for the next eight years:

TenHaken+for+Mayor+2026+Plan by Pat Powers on Scribd

Ten Haken notes in the introduction “The next eight years will be transformative for our city. As our community continues to grow its population across various demographic and sociographic segments, that growth will bring challenges and opportunities requiring a mayor with vision and executive leadership experience – one who has run businesses, grown large teams, managed multi-million dollar budgets, and has demonstrated effective leadership in our community.”

You can download the document from his website here.

Jamison Turns in Petitions to Qualify on April 10 Mayoral Ballot

SIOUX FALLS, SD – January 29, 2018 – South Dakota State Representative and former two-term city councilman, Greg Jamison, turned in his nominating petitions to the Sioux Falls City Clerk at 8:10 a.m. this morning to qualify to have his name officially on the ballot for the April 10th Sioux Falls City Mayor’s race.

Friday, January 26, was the first day nominating petitions were allowed to be taken out to collect signatures.  Jamison turned in 20 pages of petitions today, and is the first mayoral candidate to turn in his nominating petitions.

Candidates who desire to be on the Sioux Falls mayoral ballot have until 5 p.m. on February 23rd to collect the 200 signatures needed to qualify for inclusion on the ballot.  The official petitions have space for 20 registered voters to nominate the candidate.

While some see the petition gathering as a legal formality, Jamison understands the value of generating community support for his campaign.

“This is a very exciting day for our campaign and Sioux Falls taxpayers,” Jamison said, “I promised a grassroots campaign when announcing my candidacy and this shows our campaign is ready to win on April 10th.”

“I’m the only candidate who can bring people in our city together.  I have big plans for Sioux Falls and possess the vision and experience to lead ourcity into the future,” Jamison added.

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From the Campaign:

Jackley Leads All Candidates in Fundraising for 2017

PIERRE, SD: South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced his campaign for governor raised over $1 million in 2017, 92 percent of which came from South Dakotans. The historic number breaks the single-year record for money raised by a gubernatorial campaign in a South Dakota primary.

“This is a campaign by South Dakotans for South Dakotans,” Jackley said. “The outpouring of support from across the state is humbling, and the fact that nearly all of our donations have come from South Dakota shows just how much momentum we have moving forward.”

Marty Jackley for Governor raised $920,016.99 in 2017 and Friends of Marty Jackley raised $118,000 for a combined total of $1,038,016.99.

Jackley led all gubernatorial candidates with the highest total raised and the highest percent of contributions from individual donors.  Jackley also received the least amount of PAC contributions.

“Our campaign is being funded by South Dakotans,” Jackley said. “I don’t think South Dakotans want out-of-state special interests picking their new governor. That’s why we’re running a positive, visionary campaign built on ideas that come from the people who live here.”

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