Another one of the “not ready for prime time” GOP chair hopefuls sent out a profile this afternoon to Republican County officials, seeking their favor.
Former Hand Co. GOP Chairman Jim Eschenbaum sent out his plea for the Central Committee’s consideration of his candidacy, letting everyone know that he was the county chair for around 6 months before resigning, and that if he’s made chairman he will be against elected (officials) running the things, and there will be a scorecard showing how candidates follow the platform.
In part…
I believe that one way to facilitate smooth operations of the party, regain trust from the body, and support the involvement of as many Republicans as possible; is to have regularly scheduled State Central Committee meetings as outlined in our bylaws.
We should discuss choosing a designated Saturday for two (2) given months of the year.
and..
Having too many elected running the party is equivalent to having the fox guarding the hen house. The image of the party that I will strive for is one that invites all conservatives who adhere to the US Constitution, State Constitution, and party platform, to participate and have a voice.
—
I would like to put together a committee to create a Conservative scorecard. We have a U.S. Constitution and a State Constitution that every elected swears an oath to. We also have a platform along with the Constitutions that should be guiding our elected Republicans how to vote. A scorecard would inform Republican voters Statewide about who is aligning with, and protecting our Constitutional Rights and Freedoms, and who isn’t. There is no reason to keep electing politicians who don’t follow their oath and the platform.
and..
As I have previously stated, I am running for the position of Chairman because I believe that a well-led and highly functioning South Dakota GOP will benefit all Republicans across our state. You have my word that I will never sell out to money, favors, or deeds.
Well, it’s a good thing Jim Eschenbaum will never sell out to money (or grammar) because aside from setting a date for meetings, banning ‘too many’ elected officials from running the party and doing scorecards, he apparently has no plans on how to raise the funds to actually run the organization going into 2026.
This SDGOP Chairman contest is just painful to watch.
Come the next election, there’s just going to be too many of us who sound like we’re old men in the coffee shop going “remember when the South Dakota Republican Party was a functioning organization?”
This Noem’s GOP and then disappears.
He was a dem voting for Johnson, daschle and herseth and Obama until 2020.
Should the SDGOP Chairman know how the Internet works?
The party is broken. Too bad open primaries failed. There is no solution in sight.
There is a solution in sight. But it’s a long tunnel to get there. 2026. Every single county where these lunatics have taken control needs to find solid republicans who aren’t out the door far right to run as committeemen and women. Preferably people who are literate, can think logically, and have a basic understanding how government and laws actually work. Because we’re a far cry from that right now.
does anybody want to tell him the SDGOP has already been having central committee meetings for years??
The SDGOP’s job is to elect Republicans. Not to “scorecard” or to try to influence primary elections.
And deciding whether someone is “following the constitution” is not as easy as it sounds.
For example, Jim Eschenbaum might be interested to know that the Constitution allows the government to seize private property, so long as there is just compensation. For example, to help a private company build a carbon pipeline. So, if someone votes to “end eminent domain,” are they violating the Constitution?
I wouldn’t say that they are, and neither would Jim. But someone could which is the point – you can’t just take your personal opinions and impose them on others as “the Constitution.” That’s what the Citizens for Liberty have done for years – taken JFM’s voting record and declared it to be “following the constitution.”
These guys have really lost the plot.
I think you should spend a bit more time reading the constitution, then you would understand what it means, or have some 3rd grader explain it to you.
I think a candidate with no experience is much better than a bad experience for the people, I in fact I think bad experience pretty well sums up what we have experienced
I am now dumber after reading that.
Oh boy.
‘Involvement of as many republicans as possible’ EXCEPT the currently elected Republican WHAT?!?! Stupid and goes right with their burn it all down with no plan to rebuild. So so stupid
A wonderful opportunity for the rest of us to recognize the delusion that exists amongst so many of the far right/anti everything crowd. Time for the rest of us to step up and speak up.
How long ago was he a dem working against all of our Republicans?
Good question. It’s hard to differentiate between far left and far right these days. They both work against Republicans. Maybe they should make a new anti-party and make the marriage complete.
My experience has been that the people who complain that elected officials are not following the platform have never bothered to read it themselves.
This goes back to all those years ago when the vote came up on whether to allow Certified Professional Midwives to practice in the state, without physician supervision.
The opponents were accused of not following
the Republican platform, pointing to an imaginary plank about midwifery, or perhaps an imaginary plank expressing opposition to the licensure of medical providers. Whatever, it was imaginary.
Then there was the fuss about increasing user fees at state parks. The opponents insisted the platform had a plank in it about opposition to raising user fees, included in the opposition to increasing taxes. People who could tell the difference between user fees and taxes were called RINOs. There wasn’t anything in the platform about user fees..
And so it goes: we are now told that the Republican party platform is against eminent domain, pipelines, blah blah. They are mistaken. The SDGOP platform goes only as far as the 5th Amendment to the US Constitution: due process and just compensation. Republicans are okay with eminent domain for private gain.
If there is going to be a scorecard committee, they need to study the platform, the Constitution, and take a test. Yes, there needs to be a test, to verify the members have read those documents from front to back, back to front, to prove they know what’s in them.
I think you should spend a bit more time reading the constitution, then you would understand what it means, or have some 3rd grader explain it to you.
I think a candidate with no experience is much better than a bad experience for the people, I in fact I think bad experience pretty well sums up what we have experienced
Was this written by a third grader?
JimmE here is a clueless fool. He’s currently an “elected” but I suppose his rule doesn’t apply to himself.
His opposition to SB201 was in conflict with the republican platform that clearly states its support for agriculture. Most of the Agricultural Groups in the state supported SB201. He was a democrat and votes like one.
agreed. The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees only due process and just compensation for the taking of private property.
The SDGOP platform supports private property rights only as far as guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution.
The rest of the SDGOP platform supports agriculture, business, energy, and infrastructure development.
The real RINOs are the opponents of that pipeline.
The folks opposing the pipeline are anti Ag, anti Energy, anti Growth and anti Business. Definitely NOT what the SDGOP platform supports.
The group that looks most foolish is the county coalition running two candidates. Eat their own they say.
Qualm is the only one of the three that has any business being chair. Like him or not or disagree with him or not at least he has relationships and understanding of the party.
These other guys are like 3rd grade amateurs who embarass themselves.
Qualm has no business being in charge of anything. He’s proven it before, and will prove it again.
Eschenbaum isn’t a serious candidate.
Amanda Radke lost a lot of credibility when she endorsed a Democrat for GOP chair. Just because he’s pro property rights doesn’t mean he’s conservative. He was a dem until 3 minutes ago.
Well, Amanda is more interested in social media likes and becoming recognized than actual conservative values and integrity. No one should take anything she says seriously. She would turn her head in the wind to whatever seems more popular at that moment. It’s pathetic.
He isn’t pro property rights! Neither is she! Telling your neighbor they can’t do anything on THEIR GROUND without your blessing isn’t pro property rights!
Agreed!!
They push “you can do what we want you to do on your” property rights.
Eschenbaum adamantly opposed a CAFO in Hand Co that exceeded all requirements in the local zoning ordinance. He was adamant that that landowner should not be able to do on their property what they wanted.
Eschenbaum is a 100% hypocrite!!!
He sounds like a liberal environmentalist just like his anti ag partner Jane Fonda
Interesting. The founding fathers of South Dakota embodied twice in our Constitution the importance and responsibility to provide public education to our citizenry. Any conservative scorecard that supports SOUTH DAKOTA’s constitution would score negatively anybody that is not focused on fulfilling this sworn responsibility.
Personally, I’m for all methods of delivering education, but I realize one responsibility is greater than all others – the one each elected official raises their hand and swore to honor in the Constitution.
Would that be scored? Some are already Fs
Pat, could you put yup a list of the declared candidates? And when is the vote? Thx
So far, three have declared (in alphabetical order):
Jim Eschenbaum
Ezra Hayes
Lee Qualm
Pat and all the people who care about the party / getting Republicans elected are hoping that someone capable will jump in.
The election will be during the SDGOP Central Committee. The exact date hasn’t been announced, but it will almost surely be in February.
Dumb ass. He’s not respected in his own county and doesn’t own a shirt with sleeves. Tell him he should stay on his riding lawn mower in his free time.
Gotta show off the guns. Especially when testifying in the Capitol.