Well, that got interesting. Nancy Rasmussen to challenge Art Rusch in Senate Primary

Pat Powers

What was kind of a sleepy afternoon just woke up politically. Term-limited Republican State Representative Nancy Rasmussen just filed to run for the State Senate against former Judge & current State Senator Art Rusch:

… which brings the number of Republican primaries for the State Senate that I’m counting to about 8:

District 6 – Otten/Latterell
District 12 – Curd/Steele
District 14 – Zikmund/Zellmer
District 17 – Rusch/Rasmussen
District 21 – Qualm/Tobin
District 23 – Breitling/Nielson
District 29 – Cammack/Jorgenson
District 33 – Dave Johnson/Janet Jensen

This might not be all. I know 2 Republicans are looking at D27 Senate.  It’s not clear if Jeff Partridge is running again yet in 34, where Mike Diedrich has filed.  On the Dem side, supposedly Pat Kirschmann (D) is going to take on Reynold Nesiba (D) in D15 Senate.

And none of this should give rise to the thought of people being done. There are probably others out there just waiting to pounce.

Stay tuned.

Update 3/20/20 – It is noted in the comment section that it was announced today that State Representative Pat Kirschmann has passed away.

11 thoughts on “Well, that got interesting. Nancy Rasmussen to challenge Art Rusch in Senate Primary”

  2. Diedrich is surprising. I can’t imagine he’d primary Partridge so he must know he’s not running.

  4. Here’s a perspective, there are 8 GOP primaries compared to only 2 Dem filings so far! With 11 days to go, there will surely be many more filings, but to date, they point to the vitality of the GOP and the challenges of the Dem

    Also, the phenomenon of people who aren’t running holding that fact close and handing off their seats to someone is an interesting strategy. I think we may have as many as four of those going on in the senate. Time will tell

  5. Art may have a challenge since he stood with Kennedy (D) more than anyone else and pushed awful liberal bills–

    Red Flag Laws
    Ending Civil Forfeiture
    Giving Parole to murders with life sentences
    Seeking to end the death penalty with severe mental illness exception
    Seeking to water down ingestion laws

    So much for a law and order Republican.

    GO NANCY!

  7. I just received some sad news from Tom Cool and Democratic Forum. Pat Kirschman has passed away. Arrangements are pending.

    1. So sorry to hear that John. Pat was so down to earth and a good pubic servant. He will be missed. Thanks for letting us know.

      May the soul of Pat Kirschman, by the mercy of God, Rest in Peace.

      1. Well said Troy. Pat was a voice for the working men and women in this state.

        When I first became involved in Minnehaha County Democratic politics almost some 30 years ago, he was one of the first people that I met. He and his late father, Bob, who also once ran for the state legislature in ’94, were always welcoming and encouraging to new Democrats, who were becoming a part of the process. And they were religious in their work to register voters, too.

        Pat and I did disagree on one of the major social issues of the day, abortion, but we still joined forces often in working to protect the workers’ interests in this state, which Pat was a leader in.

        May Pat now rest in peace, JKC

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