Schoenbeck to run for State Senate, GOP Primary race to ensue

Pat Powers

From KXLG Radio, former State Senator & Representative Lee Schoenbeck has announced that he’s entering the primary for District 5 State Senator:

A long-time South Dakota policymaker is getting back into the political ring.  Lee Schoenbeck announced today that he is seeking the Republican nod to run for State Senate in District Five.  He joins Byron Callies in the upcoming June primary as the second Republican Candidate to enter the race.

Listen to the story here.

46 thoughts on “Schoenbeck to run for State Senate, GOP Primary race to ensue”

  1. Will he address his false claims against Tapio’s residence? I wonder if someone has hired a private detective to follow Tapio around. That would a conspiracy theory if I ever heard one.

    1. I think Tapio might decide to run again when he doesn’t get the signatures. He will lose badly to Schoenbeck.

  2. Glad to see Lee running. The H2O town area will have someone actually working for and representing the residents of that district again.

    1. …rather than someone threatening to quit over a hissy fit with the caucus leadership. Oh… wait…

      1. Way better than the Cookoo for Coco Puffs guy that does nothing for Watertown & spends most his time in Rapid.

  3. Byron Callies is the man to support in this race.

    He is the Vice Commander for the American Legion –NATIONWIDE, what an honor for our state.

    He also is very pleasant I can’t imagine a better candidate, plus we know he raised his children right as Mellisa Magstadt, former legislator is his daughter. 🙂

  5. 1:35 is right. Byron is a nice guy and a good guy. He’s an honorable man with good values. But matching him up against a veteran legislator like Schoenbeck is like comparing a wise, esteemed college professor to a pimply-faced incoming freshman student that doesn’t know where the light switches are.

  6. From what I saw, it wasn’t Lee who was embarrassed by the caucus issue, it was the leader.

    1. Then maybe you should get your eyes checked…Lee was completely out of line and attacking fellow legislators on the radio afterwards…we can do better

      Vote for Byron Callies…not because Lee disqualified himself by his actions

  7. I wonder if there is a Tapio-Callies connection? Al Koistenen recruited both Callies and Tapio to run for state office, and Koistenen is actively circulating petitions for Tapio’s congressional bid. It makes me wonder if Callies and Tapio share the same mindset. God forbid that Watertown would suffer the embarrassement of another Koistenen recruit.

    1. Seriously…the embarrassment is Lee Schoenbeck…not Al Koistenen who has worked tirelessly for the party for years.

    3. Sorry guys, I did not recruit Byron Callies, I wish I had. He has been a precinct committeeman for Codington County for many years and is currently our county’s state committeeman on the State GOP Central Committee. Back in January when he indicated he was running, I did pass petitions for Byron as I have done for many candidates both for local and state-wide elections. I have also helped Lee in the past when he has run for the senate and the house from Dist 5

      Byron Callies spent 41 years in the SDNG retiring as a Lt Col, he is a proven leader. He also has the ability to campaign having been elected as the State Commander of the American Legion and then ran for and won as a Vice Commander for the National American Legion. Though I didn’t recruit him I will gladly help and support him in this election as he is a true conservative who has served with honor and will again serve with honor.

  8. Seriously 6:26 . . . Koistenen begat Tapio. Tapio begat many monstrosities. That makes Koistenen the grandfather of Tapio’s ugliness.

    1. Following your logic of what a gift Schoenbeck is to the race and how we are so lucky to have him running. And how Tapio was a distaste….why didn’t Schoenbeck grace our presence with running for senator against Tapio last term? He could have because he was already a sitting legislator on the house side at that time. Now that we have a solid candidate, who has dedicated his life to service in the national guard, American Legion, a retired professor of economics and retired from western area power administration (so an extremely broad field of knowledge), now Schoenbeck decides to run. Where was he two years ago when we needed him to run then as an already sitting legislator? Being a consummate politician doesn’t make you a good legislator.

  9. Its an open primary. Anybody can put their name in the hat.

    I am sure the people of Watertown know both the candidates real well and who they want in Pierre advocating on their behalf.

    1. The key words, Troy, ARE “advocating on their behalf” not some politician promoting his own agendas. Hopefully, the people of Watertown know who the right person would be.

      1. and that right person is obviously Callies. Schoenbeck is an arrogant, spoiled, petulant, has-been who embarrassed himself badly with his behavior and lack of honesty last term. He lost his caucus election and never got over it or over himself. The voters will hopefully remember.

  10. If Mr. Shoenbeck wins, and I am sure he will, I predict he will form his own caucusing and people will beg to join it. Mr. Tapio is a fool to match wits and tears and kisses with Mr. Shoenbeck.

  11. Few known the machinations of legislating better and nobody has a more surgical mind than my good friend Lee.
    Having Lee back in the Senate makes total sense.

  12. BTW, Nobody from outside the Watertown area would spell my name with an ‘e’ after the ‘t’ as they don’t know how my name is pronounced. I do know a couple of individuals from Watertown who always spell it this incorrect way.

    1. Al, you brought Tapio to the dance and the pro abortion liberal mayor to Watertown. It strikes me that you are batting zero so far.

      1. Lee (who else would know about that mayoral race if not from Watertown) I don’t know why you think I brought Caron to the dance, I did not know her before that race nor did I help her or Steve. You give me way too much credit. However, I did recruit and help a little bit, Ried Holien who defeated Nancy Turbak Berry a few years ago, so at least I got one hit.

        1. That’s not correct Al, you supported her and invited her to Republican functions. You didn’t do your homework. you found out too late that she was pro choice. She conned you and that’s not good.

  16. Al,

    You and Lee are not the only SDWC posters or readers from Watertown. Lee did not make that post.

    P.S. I respect your use of your name so I know you’d also want to be corrected on this. Lee posts with his name as well.

    1. Yes, Al, many of us respect you, but not just because you use your name. According to Troy Jones, if you do not include your name you are a coward and your thought has no merit here. So, disregard any and all comments that do not include a name, phone number and address, they are of no value.

      1. A person who anonymously attacks the person and character of another but a afraid to subject them self to the same scrutiny is certainly not brave or of honor.

        I’d tell it to your face but you are a coward.

        1. And then what would you do? You do seem very irritated by me. Would you call everyone else who post anonymous cowards to their face? Lying to the public about who manages SDWC, is that honorable? Calling people racist only because you think it to be, brave and honorable you surely are, Troy Jones. Who again is attacking people’s character? You. I am merely calling it like I see it and I read your lies, the way you name-call (mostly women) and often tell people their opinions are wrong only because you say it to be.

          And how do you know it wasn’t Lee posting? Al came to a logical conclusion, based on prior knowledge and familiar word choice. Why should you be believed? Oh, wait, you can see IP addresses so you know who is who, wouldn’t that be considered managing?

            1. Why would you ask that? It’s obvious that Pat has given the ability to magically see IP addresses to everyone, so I suppose you can see that it is, in fact, KM? Why do you hate (mostly women) who have strong opinions on being persecuted because they inform themselves with YouTube videos and alt-right rambling blogs all day long? How is it that you can arrive at the conclusion of ‘KM’? Where is your proof? You speak very intelligently, and you are certainly informed, but not as informed as say, for instance, KM, and yet you arrive at an erroneous conclusion because it’s obviously not KM because KM wouldn’t ever post as an anonymous coward like Jones. Checkmate! 😉

    2. Thanks Troy for the correction. The wordage used by anon 8:23 is the same as Lee uses on occasion. One should never jump to a conclusion, right.

  17. How long before Noem releases a press release attacking Schoenbeck’s announcement?

  18. well. I think I will weigh in on this a bit too, because I have known Byron Callies literally all my life.

    Here is what I learned from my dad.

    1. Before you make a decision, look at the Issue from every angle. But then have the guts to make a decision.

    2. Integrity and a good reputation aren’t replaceable. Treasure it because you can’t get it back when it’s been lost.

    3. Get up early and work hard. You have responsibilities to fulfill.

    4. The art of friendly persuasion is way more effective than bullying, intimidation or manipulation. Back door deals and under the table deals are unbecoming and your credibility is lost by employing those tactics.

    5. If you want to lead, serve.

    6. It’s never about you and never about your agenda.

    7. Respect our country and it’s veterans. You owe them a debt you can’t repay.

    8. You can disagree and not be disagreeable. And a different point of view does not mean that we have to break fellowship.

    9. Above all…God first. Family and Country. Way last is self.

    Thanks Dad. I hope I can fulfill this list half as good as you.

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