Rumors getting stronger that Taneeza Islam might be challenging Paul TenHaken for Sioux Falls Mayor

This evening, “Matt Paulson’s Insiders” text updated offered this interesting tidbit about next years’ Sioux Falls Mayoral contest:

Insider Text: Hearing rumors of a liberal challenger in the mayoral race from multiple sources. Word is that a private Facebook event is going out for a campaign announcement on Tuesday afternoon. If true, the candidate will be a huge contrast to Mayor TenHaken.

After a couple hours of reaching out to Sioux Falls contacts, I managed to track this down from Facebook:

The event is sponsored by Taneeza Islam, former Sioux Falls City Councilman Andy Howes, and Susan Kroger, who along with Islam is part of the women’s only LEAD South Dakota group.

What I’m hearing is that sources are saying Islam will supposedly be challenging TenHaken in next years’ mayoral contest with the announcement coming on Tuesday.

Taneeza Islam is the executive director for the “South Dakota Voices for Justice/South Dakota Voices for Peace” group, which notes itself in press releases as “diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist” and their “mission is to build power and enable healing in refugee, immigrant and Muslim communities by amplifying their voices and working in solidarity with all who dismantle bigotry and racism.”

Their website notes that she formed the group after “two bigoted resolutions and one bigoted bill were introduced during South Dakota’s legislative session” and she “was contacted by lobbyist friends in the state capitol about these bigoted pieces of legislation.” According to one bio, Islam was former “Civil Rights Director for the Council on American Islamic Relations – MN Chapter.”

We’ll know for sure after Tuesday.

10 thoughts on “Rumors getting stronger that Taneeza Islam might be challenging Paul TenHaken for Sioux Falls Mayor”

  1. I wish her no success in her attempt to become mayor of Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls does not need to go the direction this person wants to go. I’d rather she moved to California or somewhere where her terrible ideas have already been shown to be ruinous to a community.

  2. Ms. Islam spoke in Huron a couple years ago. Her theme: Islam’s a religion of peace.

    When I quoted a Pew worldwide survey that showed 20 percent of Muslims thought violence was Jim-dandy, compared to near zero percent for Christians, she became quite animated and came back with the Leftist chestnut that “white men kill far more people.”

    Now I realize she has a point. Just this morning I killed at least a dozen people because I wasn’t wearing a mask.

  3. In a few short years, she will be an answer to a trivia question. TenHaken will be Mayor again.

  4. I’d think Vegas would put Paul’s over/under at 35% – their kind of careful

  5. We had an “inclusive” candidate in District 8 once. very personable young man who showed up at parades and county fairs waving rainbow flags. But the voters couldn’t figure out what that had to do with agriculture or energy and he hasn’t been seen since. Rainbow flags might look pretty in front of all the bars on Phillips and make the residents feel good about themselves, but that’s all they do.
    Given Islamic prohibitions against homosexuality and alcohol consumption, efforts to make Sioux Falls more welcoming to Muslims might involve shutting Phillips Ave down.
    One person’s inclusivity is another man’s bigotry you know.

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