This past Friday, State Representative Taffy Howard spoke at the Brookings County Picnic with a message that she’s “seriously considering” a run for Congress, along with some messaging on immigration and border security. In case you’d like to watch for yourself, I have it here:
And it’s interesting that the message coming from Taffy is that she’s “considering” a race, because that same non-committal message about not being in fully is what she’s putting out across the state, as we’re hearing it in more than one place. From the Rapid City Journal this weekend comes an interview with reporter Abby Wargo where Taffy Howard tries to tamp down stories that “she’s running” by telling the Journal that she’s just “exploring.”
Despite that filing with the Federal Elections Commission:
Taffy Howard, a representative in the state House since 2017, is considering challenging U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson in the primary to represent the Republican Party in the 2022 election.
The Rapid City woman has told the Journal there’s “nothing official” about her candidacy and that she is still exploring her options. On Aug. 3, however, she filed a statement of organization with the Federal Elections Commission for a “Taffy Howard for Congress” committee.
She re-filed paperwork on Aug. 12 with the FEC, switching her campaign treasurer from Dianne Nelson to State Rep. Rhonda Milstead, R-Hartford.
Howard told the Journal on Friday that filing with the FEC “does open up more possibilities for fundraising.”
“It’s opened doors to meeting more people and gauging my level of support. It’s been great so far to open up those doors, talk with more folks and see what their sense is. The response has been overwhelmingly good,” she said.
Wait, what? So, she files a statement of organization with the Federal Elections Commission, sets up a bank account, has a consultant from out of state working on her campaign, names a treasurer, and doesn’t just name the treasurer, but goes back and switches treasurers?
But, she’s still exploring her options?
How about a few other tidbits I’m hearing. Such as the fact that Rhonda Milstead is not the only legislator she asked to be her campaign treasurer.
I’m also hearing there’s potentially an out-of-state consulting firm involved with her race already. In addition to Zach Lautenschlager over in Colorado serving as her primary campaign contact.
And there’s also this..
A website to take donations and attack her opponent. That directly says “Taffy Howard for Congress.”
Maybe it’s my cynicism, but this doesn’t sound like someone who is “considering” or “simply exploring” a race.
She’s seen people on TV say they are “exploring” and so she thinks that’s what she’s supposed to do.
This is exactly what the party doesn’t need. Let Dems embrace their fringe elements all they want, but we need to stay based in reality. Focused on policy. Understanding that nobody walks away happy in a bipartisan system, but that’s the system we have AND cherish.
Howard. Gosh. Deutsch. Odenbach. And the rest of the culture warriors need to be done away with in the primaries. Forever. They can go back to watching Joe Rogan on YouTube.
The rest of us have a budget to balance and want to better the state.
Exhibit A for endangered RINO…
Border wall, immigration. I think someone misspelled Neal Tapio.
Guess I haven’t been paying close enough attention. Is Odenbach one of the freaky fringe too?
Scott is a conservative guy, but I would not agree if someone referred to him as “fringe.”
“The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally – not a 20 percent traitor.”
— Ronald Reagan
I would agree with that.