Are you familiar with the term “robber baron?”
Historically, robber baron was a term first used in the 19th century as social criticism regarding wealthy individuals who would often use their cash to influence politics. As changes in the landscape of politics have taken hold in the South Dakota’s political scene, we seem to be starting a new era in state politics where the wealthy – or at least well-heeled – are the new age’s robber barons, using their pocketbooks to insert themselves into the state’s political conversations and drive them to their own benefit (and shameless self-promotion).
It’s not a new phenomena by any stretch of the imagination in South Dakota politics where ego often comes into play, as people have tried to buy elections and set themselves up as people of influence. Arguably, that’s been taking place almost as long as we’ve had elections in our country. But coming at a time in South Dakota when the State Republican Party is fractured by waves of indifference and populism, the new robber barons are making a grab to drive the conversation in ways they want. And they’re pushing back against anything that might interfere with their vision.
Back in the summer of 2005, one of the earliest things I wrote about was when Republicans contended with a challenge from the left from a group funded by wealthy Rapid City resident Stan Adelstein, pushing back against conservatives funding a group called the “South Dakota Mainstream Coalition,” with members such as Duane Sutton of Aberdeen. And they hired State Rep. Ed Olson to be their Executive Director. As noted in the Rapid City Journal at the time (7/12/05), one critic pointed out that these “liberals in Republican clothing simply realize they are out of the mainstream, and want to redefine what mainstream means.”
The group spent some money in the 2006 elections, but that effort quickly dried up. Adelstein lost his primary election, and dumped money into funding his opponent, as well as a number of democrat races; a trend that has continued to more recent elections. The Mainstream coalition quickly died off when they lost elections and the money dried up. During this time, the SDGOP was on the uphill climb in South Dakota, so a cult of personality masquerading as a political movement didn’t really affect the party.
Fast forward nearly twenty years (and yes, I’m dating myself), and we have new robber barons trying to influence Republican state politics. Who are some of them?
Cufflink salesman Adam Broin, scion of the POET Broin family, made a push to take over Conservative Republican politics in the Sioux Empire region of the state around 2022 working with former Minnehaha County GOP Chair Dave Roetman to create the Patriot Ripple Effect. They held anti-establishment rallies against vaccination and incumbents.
This group seemed to reach it’s perihelion in that 2022 election when they had founded groups in Brookings (led by Rick Weible) and Watertown (led by some DJ).. ..and those groups quickly broke away as independent or just plain fizzled out. That organization seemed to start contracting when they started kicking people out for being perceived as disloyal.
Anymore, they pay for a website, which they post to occasionally, but the handwriting is on the wall. This group might not be around by the time of the 2026 election.
Starting last year, when he paid for polling asking people if they knew his name, Aberdeen car salesman & developer Toby Doeden tried to set himself up as the next big thing in Republican politics and launched an exploratory bid for Congress. Which came utterly crashing down in less than 30 days when it came out that he had never voted in a Republican primary election, leading him to abandon the race.
Instead, Doeden shifted his efforts to dumping significant amounts of money into state legislative primaries, with reasonable effect. Coinciding with the current populist effort against CO2 pipelines and GOP State Party infighting, a number of incumbents were ousted. With the primary dust settled, Doeden is already back trying to push a renewed round of polling of his unknown name against Kristi Noem and Dusty Johnson.
The problem with feeding your money to the political cycle is that it’s never full. We’ll see if he’s still interested in throwing money at it in 2026.
The newest robber baron in state Republican politics is Sioux Falls entrepreneur Chris J. Larson, who popped up out of the blue over the last few months, and is spending his money to form a statewide ballot question committee railing against many measures on the South Dakota ballot. Larson, who started the Comfort King mattress company, wrote in a recent column in The Dakota Scout:
Normies believe the both Covid and our current record-breaking inflation are naturally occurring events, similar to a bad winter, not the fault of evil and/or inept humans.
and..
Normies keep their heads buried in the sand until WHOOPS! too late, the Marxists have totally captured every single institution in our country. Just ask the good “Nice” citizens in the state of Minnesota, who can have their child removed from their home by the government if the parent refuses to “affirm their gender.” Yes, Normie, this is the New Normal in America. Coming soon!
Larson also wrote recently about the Republican party on his own personal website:
The body of the SD Republican Party is right now in stage 4 “Moderate cancer”. The “Moderates” have metastasized to the point that they have overwhelmed all of our “major organs”. To be clear, I am not saying that Moderates are a cancer to humanity; they are a cancer to the Republican Party leadership. The truth is that in our state the leaders of this party are not conservative in any real sense of the word. State Party Chairman, Senate Leader, all three of our federal representatives, Secretary of State, most of our mayors, the Governor. No, we are being governed by Moderates in Conservatives clothes.
and..
If you asked a Moderate, they would claim that it’s because their “middle of the road” (i.e. mushy) worldview is simply the most popular with the voters. I believe that it’s due to the fact that since they are unmoored from any ideological firmament, they are more easily controlled; for sale to the highest bidder. I mean, does anyone really believe that a cretin like Lee Schoenbeck is passionate about carbon emissions? Or that Pat Powers, who just this week was sent out by his handler, whoever that is, to attack a Pro-Life warrior and true Patriot Jon Hansen, somewhere in his dark little heart is harboring a deep love for our founding principles? Or that GOP Chairman John Wiik spends any of his time and energy trying to help truly conservative folks get elected? Or that Kristi Noem cares deeply for the people of South Dakota? Or that Thune, Dusty and Rounds are going to conserve even a tiny fraction of our traditions out there in the Great Swamp they muck around in? Certainly not!
(Not sure how I rated, since I had no clue who this clown was until yesterday). If you think Governor Kristi Noem, and Monae Johnson are “flaming moderates”.. the problem might not be them. Minnesota has their pillow guy spouting crazy nonsense, and now South Dakota has a mattress guy spouting crazy nonsense.
The well-to-do throwing their cash around trying to convince people how to vote is a phenomena as old as politics itself. Especially given that they’re largely here today and gone tomorrow when they get bored.
The question for us is whether we let ourselves buy into it.
This list is not complete without mentioning Matt Paulson and Paul TenHaken.
Yeah. They have essentially won over the Sioux Falls city council.
We already live in an oligarchy. I can only give a few grand to a politician while musk can give 40m a month to a PAC. It was game over when Republicans overturned Citizens United. Individuals have no chance going up against the big money. Outlaw PACs, lobbyists, and ban congress critters from trading. Maybe even put in some ethics so our Supreme Court can’t be bought. Clarence Thomas should be in jail.
What crime has Thomas committed and been convicted for?
Undisclosed gifts totaling into the millions. Do you feel judges should be allowed to be bribed? His crime is a being a traitor to the American public.
How about addressing the Biden crime family and the tens of millions they have taken in for influencing US foreign policy for a big fat check?
What about Trump making foreign dignitaries stay at his hotel in DC? Or his son in law taking a far 1.2 billion from Riyadh? Or how Truth Social Stock is held afloat by billionaire buddies and foreign investment firm seeking a loophole to bribe him?
As Carlin said, “It’s a big club, and you ain’t invited!”
So am I hearing this right? You both support limiting contributions to candidates to individuals only and with reasonable limits? That sounds reasonable to most Americans but for people trying to get specific candidates elected – there is always something terribly wrong with it.
And a floater speaks.
And the weird poop-guy speaks with another middle school zinger.
So, someone putting their money where their mouth is – is now looked down upon – and called “robber baron”? If he believes in something and can afford to do something about it – that’s bad? Just because he disagrees with you, doesn’t make his actions wrong. Annoying? possibly. It just means that he is taking the opportunity to push for his causes – whatever they might happen to be.
Voting No on everything on the ballot is not such a bad thing this year. Like many years, I don’t see any initiatives or referendums that I can’t live without. That medicaid work requirement might be a yes – but seriously – it’s easier just to vote NO on everything.
Rich guy comes in to buy elections, and tells people to “vote my way” because if you don’t, other rich guys will come in and buy elections. First rich guy convinces people to vote his way, so he can continue to buy elections.
But it’s ok, because he’s putting his money where his mouth is.
It only works if people already a predisposed to agree.
I support them stopping these ballot measures. Back when daugaard was governor he led the way to stop Marijuana and no labels in primaries.
It’s time for Thune and kristi to lead.
It is bad when money is what influences politics. 1 person can have more influence than all the other constituents combined. Get rid of the money and they will have to work for us, not those big dollar donors. I’m not going to protect those with the ability because of some pipe dream of a dude making 60k who thinks he will be rich someday. Reminds me of all those Trump simps.
Doeden purchased radio ads and sent our press releases to local radio stations using the same outrage tactics distorting the actions of the Aberdeen City Council and organization with their volunteers to improve downtown Aberdeen. He doing a fantastic job pissing off more people everyday.
Your observations are right on with regards to Doeden and Larson. Big fish in small ponds with visions of grandeur. Unfortunately, that’s nothing new in politics.
You already bought it, you’re just beginning to realize how tightly you’re chained to what you’ve used to galvanize low-information voters the past twenty years.
Zero sympathy for the SDGOP, you reap what you sow.
Both political parties are having real trouble raising money from the rank and file members. The Republicans are now relying on a few Millionaires willing to advance their own “conservative principles”but who have no interest in roads, public schools, small towns, state institutions, or health care. These Millionaires want to govern through edict, and dictate our social relationships. They aren’t Republicans. Their views are too self centered, narrow, and frankly “too weird” for any Party.
My favorite was when Toby Doeden warned everyone of the candidates who were “bought and paid for” by special interests and PACs…and the pipeline…and RINOs…and controlled by the “establishment”.
What are you Toby?
Oh a “you think you’re special” self invested interest, and PAC, founded by someone who’s never been educated or involved in politics or policy before, but is somehow now the deeming authority of what is or is not “conservative”. When you define conservative as “believing everything I tell you to believe, and if you disagree, you’re wrong”. Ok got it.
And he immediately let the D3 idiot squad jump to the controls to his “want-to-be-mini-Trump” train…
Al Novstrup has been in office for TWENTY THREE YEARS, doesn’t get more “establishment” than that genius! Lol
Newsflash: money doesn’t make you knowledgeable. Money doesn’t make you fit to lead. Money doesn’t make you an all knowing, deeming factor in anything. But anyone can be loud and too ignorant to realize they’re ignorant.
(Especially when your “money” comes from very questionable sources to begin with. Seriously sheeple, do a little digging!)
And that’s Toby “Dumpster Fire” Doeden for you.
Embarrassed I have to share a zip code with that human wood tick.
This is not coherent.
Doeden is a community tapeworm. Prior to his cowardly exploratory committee he proudly had on his FB profile “flunked out of school”. He is the same dumb bully he was known to be at Groton HS but now a Moron with Money who is an older bully.
I am not defending any of the people in the article, but I do take offense to the perpetuation of the Marxist lie that the capitalists of the late 19th Century were robber barons. Everyone should read Burt Folsom’s “The Myth of the Robber Barons”.
30 years ago it was Tom Everest, Steve Kirby and Ted Huested. 15 years ago it was Jeff Erickson.
The link marked “against vaccinations” went to a rally against mandated vaccinations for emergency use vaccines which had not had normal and customary trials and testing yet were represented with high confidence of SAFE FOR ALL without exception (age, health condition, etc.) and MORE EFFECTIVE than natural immunity, two representations which have subsequently proven as unequivocally false. Now all Covid vaccines have general side effect warnings, are not advised for certain conditions, and deemed unnecessary for certain ages who do not have other complicating conditions.
This link provides no evidence these people are against vaccines which go through normal, customary, and scientifically administered trials and texting.