South Dakota Searchlight has a wide-ranging interview with Congressman Dusty Johnson on the primary election, and what the future may hold for him in the coming years. He hits on what the fiture holds, why he believes he came in a close third, and the fact that in part because of his support, South Dakota will have a functional legislature in January:
Johnson will remain a U.S. representative until January. He has no specific plan for his future after that, other than remaining in Mitchell, where his wife has a business and one of their three sons is still in high school.
He did not rule out a return to politics, but said his “heart isn’t set on that,” adding that his motivation has always been “to do something” rather than “to be something.”
“It’s about the impact,” he said.
and..
I mean, at some point, we know that these primaries are going to be hard-fought. I’m not a sore loser. Toby and Larry won, and I didn’t.
And I think one of the reasons that I can handle the loss so well is that my motivator has never been to be something. It’s always been to do something. And we still have an opportunity to work together to improve South Dakota education, improve South Dakota public safety.
I don’t have to be governor for our state to make great things happen. And we deserve a great state. We deserve a great governor. And I’m committed to those things even if I’m not going to be the guy.
and..
I don’t think there’s any irony that Larry and Toby will have a more functional Legislature because of my hard work. I want South Dakota to have a good Legislature, regardless of who was governor.
I’m not interested in a functional South Dakota only if Dusty Johnson’s governor — I love the state, regardless.
Read the entire interview here.
Good interview for a man who has a lot to offer South Dakota. There are still many chapters left to be written in Dusty’s book.
You mean he isn’t claiming the dems hacked the election and stole it from him?
He said in the interview that he’s helping one of the campaigns behind the scenes. Likely Rhoden.
I can’t wait for a Dusty comeback.
Won’t happen. Centrists are an endangered species it too many districts to survive a primary.
My, don’t we sound sure of ourselves. More and more like whistling in the dark lol
This article exemplifies Dusty’s statesmanship. Do we think others would be so humble in a loss? Elected politics or not, Dusty will continue to work for a better South Dakota.
a family member says they were hearing rumors that toby doeden was going to expand his base by asking congressman johnson to be his lt governor.
for the vicious slashing that doeden, hanson and some rhoden supporters gave dusty in the media, i think the notion that doeden would even ask and johnson would even accept is laughable.
the only possible reason for such a move would be to keep a lot of johnson people in the party and not moving to ahlers in november, especially if doeden wins the runoff with his fantasy tax cut playbook bs.
South Dakota is not quite ready for the forward thinking leader to move us forward. We need a few more years of backwards thinking, hard line right, We want to control your property “property rights” advocates and the I pray more than you do type people in leadership. In another election cycle it is my hope that we as a whole state are ready to move forward.
Delusional.
Always a class act, even in the throes of unprecedented defeat.
To be clear, by “unprecedented” I mean Dusty hadn’t lost an election since high school, at least to the best of my knowledge.
If Mr. Dusty lost in high school, it was probably for some ugly and defamatory posters he hung over the water fountains. Or maybe other kids hung them on his behalf, but he still had to own the content.
Mr. Oakes, my young friend, do you have any extra Bengs signs here in the District numbered 30? grudznick has been told that some in Colonial Pine Hills are lacking.
I can usually accept the election outcomes, feeling that the “system” and democracy will lead our government forward. However, it pains me to have a leader of huge talents and skills, (my assessment) who wants to serve……sitting on the sidelines.