Pam Roberts’ announcement of candidacy for State GOP Chair

Pat Powers

In the race for Republican GOP Chairman, an announcement came out from Pam Roberts on Tuesday of this week from her personal e-mail declaring her candidacy for a second term of office.

As SDWC readers know, this year may mark the first time in a long while where there’s a competitive race for the office, with word of former Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dan Lederman out contacting people and indicating that he’s running.

For those of you following the race with interest:

47 thoughts on “Pam Roberts’ announcement of candidacy for State GOP Chair”

  1. That letter seems rather painfully awkward… I dont understand why you’d send out the part about not knowing someone else was running.

    2. It’s very clear that it’s a top down mentality. The central committees only reason to exist is to rubber stamp Thune and Daugaard’s wishes. In 2016 the party didn’t do hardly anything because they wanted to save for 2018. Now we have IM 22.

      I’d like the ask her: What did she do when Thune and Daugaard called for Trump to step down from the ticket?

      2. The party focused on successfully killing amendment V- as it should have. It would have been very foolish for the party to also fight the anti-corruption measure.

        1. Why would it have been foolish to fight all these measures? the party did resolutions against T, V and 22…not just one of them

      1. Broke? Republicans picked up 4 more legislative seats and now have all but 16 of 105 seats, 100% of all statewide offices and carried over over $250,000 into a critical year with open Gov and house races. It also killed Amendment V. Has our party ever been more successful?

  4. Why not send this out before the “controversial” big four endorsement? The endorsement would have carried far more weight if it occurred AFTER she announced she was a candidate for chair.

    I agree with the other comments: why mention you didn’t know someone else was running? Would that knowledge have changed your mind? Makes me think yes, it would have. But now Roberts is painted into a corner of running again because of the big four letter. She can’t say she’s not running and that it’s time that someone else take the helm and build on the past successes because it will make the big four look silly.

    I agree that it is time for change. There has been little to no communication to the county parties from the state party.

    Lederman’s excercise in running will prove that communication and relationship building is key to success. He was one of the only ones – if not the only one – in the Legislature who would use new media to communicate with constituents (video, email, etc.). I predict that he will win the race for chair, as the president says, bigly.

  5. Sad to see that the state party relies on 4 candidates for the majority of its funding. Shouldn’t the party be funded by donors and grassroots efforts?

      1. Daugaard should stay out of it. This is an old holdover from the Janklow days. Not that the gov would know that as his cabinet is also an old holdover from the Janklow days.

        Who ever wins the next governors race should immediately begin permanently removing cabinent secretaries and high ranking beaurocrats on day 1.

        #draincapitollake

        1. Anon 2:04, what are you talking about? That is a factually absurd statement. There are currently only TWO (of 21) cabinet officials who were secretaries for Rounds, much less Janklow!

  6. Great post, 1149. The existing situation is almost getting comical in its hamhandedness. The top end of the party is not wearing well with the state’s constituents and I would embrace a change. My question, is Lederman a change in the right direction or is he a half step ?

    1. You want Daugaard picking who the next governor should be or congressman? I don’t. It’s time to send a message to him at the state party level just like the state house and state senate did after he inserted himself in their leadership races last year. He also denounced the GOP nominee for president.

      Whether Lederman wins or not he’s forcing a conversation to take place. It’s a good healthy conversation.

      1. As did Thune (denouncing the Trump). Thune must be too D.C. in his head if he thinks his actions at that point would get him political points in politically unimportant South Dakota. He should have stayed quiet and taken notes from two of our states greatest leaders: Rounds and Noem.

    2. From my perspective breaking the decades old mold of the governor choosing a chair is a step in the right direction. Will Lederman be a good chair? No one can no for certain until he’s there. But the point is he has noticed that the party (and likely the big four – exceptions for Rounds and Noem) has not done enough in terms of keeping an open door with the local folks; the grassroots who make our party. The most we’ve seen from the state party is high dollar pontoon rides on the Missouri in the middle of nowhere; high dollar governor hunts; bizarre, rambling press releases about Rick Weiland (a guy most people have forgotten exists). Lederman sees this and sees the frustration among the grassroots that they don’t reward our efforts with leadership calls of meetings with the anyone from the statewide slate or legislative leadership. In politics people give two ways: time or treasure. Those who give treasure are greatly rewarded. Those of us who give of our time are not thanked for our work and we’re still asked to give of our treasure (which under Obamacare in the last eight years has been tight for lots of folks).

      Lederman, I think gets this, he’s active with the grassroots still to this day. You ask if he’s a step in the right direction or just a half step. I’ll answer by saying that I’ll take a half step in the right direction over the wrong direction or keeping a system that isn’t working.

      With IM22, Amendment V, the Wollmann fiasco, the democrats are emboldened by all of this (even as their numbers are small). We cannot be sustained on the current path of the status quo. We must keep moving. We must be more like Thune in 2004 and less like Thune in 2010.

      This half step leads to a full step which leads to walking which leads to running in the right direction for our party.

      1. All good stuff. I think you’ve summarized what could be much of the new direction desired. I will add. Thune in 2004 represented a real determination and an arch enemy type opponent. The difference today is more of an inner party struggle, our opponent is imploding and actually leaving a middle vacuum which may be enticing but also lacks conservative discipline . As noted, the higher ups have lost their ear with the people or discipline of the party. And I would include Rounds & Noem. I would attribute this due to the lack of primary challenges. All would benefit from the challenge of an idea vs an offering in defense of the fiefdom. Much water to be shed in South Dakota as 2018 gels.

        1. I agree. Daugaard and Spearfish Canyon are example 20 as to how out of touch these establishment elitists are.

    3. I like this Lieberg character. We need someone who will actually build the county party system back up and isn’t an establishment crony.

      Roberts or Lederman? Two sides of the same coin.

      What happened to the efforts of people to recruit Dave Omdahl? Betty Olson?

      We need people in there that can rebuild the credibility of the GOP brand. The sex scandal around the interns in pages, and now the bumbling with the repeal of IM22 almost appear as if there’s a concerted effort to help the Democrats take back seats in 2018!

  7. Dan Lederman? You people are crazy. This looks like a coup attempt led by someone who has their own self interests in mind. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the posts here are from Dan himself… and Dave Roetman who is helping Dan and has been bashing the SDGOP ever since he lost his job with them.

    2. Dave didn’t get enough credit as far as I’m concerned. He’s also the chair of the biggest county party in the state. Why do the leaders of the SDGOP have so much disdain for the volunteers across SD?

      Elitism has no place in SD.

  8. Democrats always have contested races for chair of the party. Good for them. Good for Republicans. Just do what you believe. Thank you to all for being involved and caring about the future of South Dakota.

    Independent Voter

    1. Yeah but the Democrat contest is more like “Your turn, no its your turn, I don’t want it, you take it, where can we find someone to defend our liberal policies?” 🙂 a little humor to lighten the mood

      1. Daugaard for SDDP Chair? He raises taxes, loves Obamacare, loves land grabs, says voters act stupidly when supporting or opposing initiatives, disdains Trump, vetoes bathroom bills. The list could go on. He could go for it as his retirement gig.

  9. I will not be gutless and not sign my name. I have known Pam Roberts and her family for many years. She was an outstanding state employee and is a great Chair of the state GOP. Being anonymous and criticizing her is totally chicken shit!! Thanks Pam for your good work and good luck being our leader next year!

  10. I laugh at all the people who have never carried water for the elephant and have the nerve to criticize bothe Dan and Pam. Until you have given freely hundreds of hours and sign your name, your opinion means nothing to me.

    1. Weird, because I’ve never seen you at a GOP event and people only know you as a name on a blog. Did your balloon get lost on its way from Kansas to Nebraska? Should we mind the man behind the curtain that is Troy Jones?

      1. Troy Jones is not the one hiding “behind the curtain” of anonymity, and he is entirely correct in his statement above.

        I like and respect both Pam and Dan, the issue at hand is whose vision will be leading the SDGOP moving forward.

  13. The central committee members are the only people whose opinions matter. They are the ones who will vote. Is the state party the governor’s PAC or is it a support network for county organizations?
    Whether or not anybody has done or will do a good job depends on one’s expectations.

  14. Either would be fine. We, as a state party, are in great shape thanks to strong and organized leadership. My only thing i’m still trying to process is how Dan can be seen as the party leader for SD when he practically lives in Iowa. Nothing against Dakota Dunes folks, but Dan to me has seemed pretty plugged into Iowa politics and events. I’d prefer stronger SD roots for our next leader.

    1. Yeah! Union County is too far from Pierre, the center of the universe. The farther away you are, the less you’re qualified. All the cool kids know that!

  15. “Practically lives I Iowa.”

    How far from the bordar does one need to live, until one is “pure enough” to be a “real South Dakotan?”

    You’re not well.

Comments are closed.