I was talking to someone the other day about the state of the Democrat’s Candidates for statewide office, where the only race they have a candidate for is US Senate with Brian Bengs, who was a lifelong Independent right before switching parties so he could run as a partisan candidate.
This was not a case where any of the party regulars who expressed interest moved forward. This was a guy who decided he’d use them for his own purposes. Which is ok for them, they’re claiming him now.
But, that still leaves them with no candidate for Congress and Governor.
Nevermind the constitutional offices they leave until the last minute. For all the grousing they do about the attorney general, no candidate for that office. Skip the crabbing about South Dakota failing to be two-party government.. because despite that fact, none of them want to actually run for any of those other offices either.
But that discussion also shook the cobwebs off of a related topic. I seem to recall.. wasn’t the state Democrat Party going to be vetting judicial candidates for Federal Judge Viken’s seat way back at the beginning of last year?
Democratic Party Chairman Randy Seiler knows the process, having served as U.S. attorney for South Dakota under the Obama administration. Seiler said he will make recommendations for appointees to the bench and U.S. attorney. Seiler said he has three criteria for who will serve as U.S. attorney.
And it was repeated here, when they announced they had appointed a committee after former Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin backed out (rumored because of the opposition of a liberal faction of the SDDP)..
The South Dakota Democratic Party is accepting applications for the position of United States Judge for the District of South Dakota that will be vacated by Justice Jeffrey Viken. Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin has announced she will not seek a federal bench nomination.
“We will move with both great care and expediency to offer insight and to recommend a potential nominee to fill the upcoming judicial vacancy that the Biden administration will fill,” said Chair Randy Seiler. “We thank President Herseth Sandlin for her consideration and respect her commitment to the work of Augustana University.”
What have they accomplished so far? At the moment, there don’t seem to be any visible signs of any candidates they’ve moved forward.
No replacement for Judge Viken has been made public yet. The US Attorney is still vacant after the resignation of Ron Parsons, with an “acting” in front of US Attorney Dennis Holmes title. The United States Marshal is still Donald J. Trump appointee Daniel C. Mosteller. Hally Witte is Acting State Director for South Dakota Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development… and so on.
So, when it comes to the Democrats offering candidates for US Senate, Governor and Congress, its very similar to the work they’ve accomplished on all the other vetting they’ve claimed they were doing.
There’s some talk, people backing out, a little more talk, and unless someone falls into their lap like Bengs did, there just does not seem to be a whole lot of anything that gets accomplished.
Mr. Bengs unfortunately running under the SDDP politically will be known as “The Invisible Man” and be part of “The Invisible Campaign”.
No bench.
No starters either.
this is so far past odd, its the complete absence of being ready for prime time!!!
*Democratic Party. I know you make that typo on purpose.