I’m watching Toby Doeden’s 9PM concession speech where he said that “I promised to unite the Republican Party.” Well, I guess he did unite us, as Republicans united pretty strongly against him as he got whooped on a 70-30% basis (to this point).
Doeden never was able to move past his original 30%, and I think the die was cast when he declared on election night in June “I ended Dusty Johnson’s political career,” guaranteeing that he would not receive any of those votes.
Nobody likes a sore winner, and Doeden never seemed to want to unite Republicans from any portion of other factions behind him, despite giving it lip service. Although one or two former Hansen sycophants couldn’t suck up to him fast enough.
Governor Rhoden has always been a decent, honorable person and being that kind of person in an environment – which could at times be toxic – earned him a well deserved win tonight.
I cant stand the guy, but ya know what? At least he friggin conceded.
I votee against Toby but Rhoden is far from honorable. Anyone who supports Trump is evil.
Go Dan Ahlers!
Trump support is pragmatic, not evil – as long as nobody breaks the back of your local MAGA. They used their full bag of tricks to support Trump and lock themselves in the cockpit of the GOP jetliner these past few years – but it’s time for the regular party to assert itself again and hold the ground this time. Either that or your elected officials will be coerced by the local MAGA to appease Trump for as far into the future as you let it.
The biggest loser on Election Day wasn’t just Toby Doeden. It was South Dakota’s convention process. Imagine if we Republicans were forced to nominate our candidate for governor the same way they nominate Secretary of State and Attorney General. There’s a very real possibility Larry Rhoden never would have made it out of convention. Instead, Republican primary voters had the final say—and they delivered a decisive verdict. That’s the difference between a few hundred convention delegates and tens of thousands of Republican voters. The convention system is sold as a better way to pick candidates. Tuesday exposed that claim. It can elevate candidates who don’t reflect the broader Republican electorate while shutting out those who do. If you trust Republican voters to choose the nominee for governor, why don’t you trust them to choose every statewide nominee? The convention process isn’t a conservative principle. It’s an insider process. Hopefully we see some good Legislation this next session to begin the path of changing the convention system.
Let the voters decide.
Anonymous, you got that right. The extreme right took over the convention and with a few hundred delegates took away the potential will of the people. Monae Johnson would have stomped Heather Baxter in a real election. Baxter couldn’t even win her own district. Put those offices on the ballot where they belong.
You understand delegates are elected right? Like, we could effect change there too but people are so complacent they don’t research that bit of the ballot.
Hear hear. Conventions can set platform points and decide how to campaign in the Fall. Let the primary itself pick the state office candidates too, just like it picks the lawmakers and Governor.
Doeden was soundly rejected in Brown County! Good job! They have bottomed out and are finally climbing out of the political & economic hole but there is still work to be done. Doedites need to be purged out of local and county government yet at the ballot box.
Crabtree came close to statewide office twice.
Anonymous at 9:41 pm hit the nail on the head. The convention process brought us Jason Ravnsborg. Then it tried to bring us Dave Natvig. Then it brought us Lance Russell. All this from a couple hundred wingnuts.
But the VOTERS of SD had a voice in this race for governor, and they spoke loudly. As it should be.
Convention process. You could not design a less democratic, less “popular vote” method if you tried.
Attention any incoming legislator:
Fix the bad convention process and make every constitutional officer campaign state wide.
Jumping in during the convention is bad for SD.
There is now concern by locals that tenants of Doeden owned properties will be seeing their rent substantially increase to pay for the millions he spent on his campaign that resulted in landslide defeat.
Toby would raise the rent not because of debt but because of spite. Less than 1/3 of Brown County voted for him and the only voting center he won was Westport