Yankton County GOP accused of playing favorites in Primary election, sending money to challenger

@SoDakCampaigns

The Yankton County Republican Party has apparently joined the Minnehaha County GOP Vice Chair, and the Deuel County Republican Party in doing things that county party organizations aren’t supposed to do.

Just a short time ago, former Yankton County GOP Chair and long-time carrier of water for the elephant Roger Meyer sent an e-mail out, pointing out that the Yankton County GOP is getting involved in, and showing favoritism in the primary election, as they send money to the person challenging long-time Republican legislator and State Senator Jean Hunhoff:

April 9, 2024

Republican Friends

It has been some time since I have sent an update to this correspondence, but an unusual event at the Yankton County Republican Meeting last night, prompted me to write.  It being an election year, you may hear more from me.

In my memory, a county party has never endorsed a candidate in a Republican primary.  However that changed last night when the Yankton County Republican party voted to provide an incentive to a candidate in the primary for State Senate, Lauren Nelson.  She is running against incumbent State Senator Jean Hunhoff.  The party claimed this was simply an incentive for a new candidate “as they need financial help”.  However, such a contribution can only be perceived as an endorsement.  In the past, our party has always remained neutral in the primary and then come together in the fall to support the nominee.  Individuals, of course, are welcome to contribute to and support the candidate of their choice, but in the primary the party as a group should remain neutral.

On another note, it should be pointed out that the lawsuit against Greg Adamson, Butch Becker and Roger Meyer as the District 18 Republican Political Action Committee has been dismissed.

Roger Meyer

Choosing sides, and donating money to one of the candidates in the primary is pretty high on the list of no-no’s that a Republican Party County organization should never do.. but, they went ahead and did it anyway.

Again, I have to ask what if anything is going to be done about it?

This isn’t a matter of individuals choosing to support the candidate of their preference, but using party resources to do so.  As one observer noted to me, “This county (GOP group) is a dumpster fire.”    It should send up a flare to those who have had previously supported the local party, and encourage them to donate directly to candidates. Because that’s the only way one can know it’s going to support those intended.

– Oh, and a postscript to the lawsuit the new party members filed against the old. According to Roger, the new guys lost.

Another waste of County GOP resources.

51 thoughts on “Yankton County GOP accused of playing favorites in Primary election, sending money to challenger”

  1. this whole trumpian wave of local GOP takeovers, in the form and style of the fearless leader – – i.e. laden with insults and heedless of law and tradition – – has been a debacle for the GOP at every level of the party, from the RNC down to the county groups of SD. it has all been smashed with a crowbar and duct-taped over the cracks to keep it moving. time to invent a new large party to help the democrats restore two-party self-rule before that final bridge to it is burned. very soon we won’t fit antonin scalia’s “nation-of-laws-not-men” description any more. decide what you’re going to do about it people.

  3. Did someone say dumpster fire? Meanwhile a walking talking dumpster fire claiming to be the best at it just posted a video being the complete opposite of “How To Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie political version. Overwhelming comments were making fun of him. Yeah that completely backfired but he is completely oblivious.

    Whether it be party units being taken over by these nuts, nuts running for office under a major party label or some self proclaimed top nut they are voter and fundraiser repellant.

    1. To ensure a county never does this again, it should be reflected in the official bylaws that the Party — at any level, including the county level — does not get involved in the primary.

        1. The only problem I have with is when the county chairman/woman is resigning/retiring and wants to pick their successor? Will that be construed as getting involved in a primary?
          Just a thought?

  5. So now they are attacking Jean Hunhoff. Nobody’s safe when the whackadoodle contingent goes out head hunting. We need a strong State Central Committee to dish out harsh penalties to County GOP organizations who stray so far off the Path.

  6. So is now the Senate PAC free to defend outstanding senators like Jean Hunhoff from these inappropriate attacks? Do we all get to play by the same rules?

    What’s the address to send checks to the hardest working legislator in Pierre ? Please post it

  8. This Yankton County GOP is a dumpster fire, indeed. Ms. Hunhoff deserves to get some money from grudznick to help her roll to a win. What is the address? These dumpster fire people need to see a backlash.

    1. go to the South Dakota Secretary of State website, look for the candidate list. Scroll through the races to find her the address is in the far right column

    1. To be fair, his predecessor is just as responsible for the rot now eating the party from within.

      1. his predecessor made the mistake of appointing a bylaws committee so terrified of criticism that they were afraid to change anything.. We have known for years that the precinct committee men and women who are recruited by candidates running for constitutional offices are a problem . The candidates don’t care how they behave, how much trouble they cause, whether they actually do their jobs when the convention ends, or whom they vote for when it comes time to elect county officers. The constitutional officers don’t care how much damage their people inflict on the party, & if people didn’t realize it when Lance Russell brought in an army of malcontents, it all became obvious when Monae Johnson unleashed her angry horde. She is now safely ensconced in the SOS office and the party is stuck with this godawful mess she made. It is gratifying to hear that those awful people she recruited don’t like her now, but the county parties are still stuck with them.

        Now we are told that we have to continue to put up with this system because the people who run for constitutional offices don’t want to have primaries. And we mustn’t do anything which might annoy the dozen or so people who want to run for those constitutional offices. We have even been told the only reason for having a convention is to nominate constitutional officers. Maybe we should be asking why do we even bother having a party?

        Why are the rest of us putting up with this? Why not just turn the whole party over to the constitutional officers and let them run with it?

  10. I don’t think you can blame John Wiik for these county parties that have a kind of local messiah complex. It’s sad what’s happened to the GOP that we real Republicans, who actually are from South Dakota, have spent decades building

    1. I won’t blame John for what has happened, but I will blame him, and everybody on the state exec board, if it is allowed to continue.
      We have been watching this cancer grow for years now. It should have been cut out before the last state convention. It should have been eradicated during the ’22 convention, but no action was taken.

      2. That was my intention with the post above. I don’t blame him for where we are at but it’s time for him to step up or I will blame him for allowing it to move forward.

      3. Get involved. All of the people who sit on the sidelines or think they are to good to volunteer need to get back in the trenches.

    2. Drew Dennert and cronies are about ready to try some garbage up in Brown County too…Drew Dennert, the worst this to happen in NE SD in years!

      1. What is he up to now? NE South Dakota, Brown County and Aberdeen has really declined since these Libertarians RINOs have been been in office and active.

        1. ahh…so anytime something goes wrong, it is Libertarian Rinos? Deflecting responsibility like a true narcissist. Now, that is the party of Trump. Nothing could ever be their fault, it has to be the people who aren’t the “real” Republicans.

    3. And you call yourself a real republican. Your voting record is very liberal if not progressive at minimum. No real republican acts like you name calling, insulting, attacking citizens of South Dakota. Most of us have been born in and lived in South Dakota our entire lives since 1970. Most of us taking a stand against an establishment of career Republicans are doing to change the party for the best. You can either join us, or lose your power. You can also take your son, Jake and ride off in the sunset forever, never to come back again. Your ship has said. Your a has been.

      1. It sounds like you are describing the horrible Trump. Lee has more respect and leadership than you magats ever will have.

        1. Not at all. Lee Schoenbeck and his followers are Republocans in name only. They progressives fully responsible for moving South Dakota politics to the left. Their time had come and gone. They are being replaced one by one by real, true, American Constitutionalists that favor a much more conservative, principled, foundation. The Trump Patriots are acting in a very respectful manner taking one precinct l, one county at a time. Mr Lee Schoenbeck and his Gilded Masked Bandits are in for an awakening.

          1. All hail Scott! The true yee-haw-dist speaks the truth of the real GOP! Bow down now, and kiss the orange ring of the all mighty Trump GOD.

            Oh, btw – make sure you buy one of those Lee Greenwood bibles for $60 bucks a pop, and get some sweet Trump NFT’s while your credit card is out… Because if you don’t , ARE YOU A TRUE PATRIOT????

          2. “I am a businessman, developer, and philanthropist. I can no longer stand by and watch what career politicians are doing to our Country and to our State. I have dedicated my future to reenergizing the true conservative movement in South Dakota.”

  11. Writing a personal check to Hunhoff for Senate committee this week. I urge others to do so as well. Your legislature will largely be decided in less than 60 days. Jim Bolin

    3. Me too. For the best legislative teacher and friend – the check is in the mail!
      Dave Anderson

    1. It’s time for that person of authority and distinction to rise up and grab the helm; what say you, John Thune?

      2. thune is too busy carrying trump’s water as the senate assistant leader of the party trump just acquired, formerly dba “gop.” not sure he’d see anything needing “saving.”

        1. If Thune would only address the rift that has occurred within the party it would go a long way toward calming down the fracas, wouldn’t it? He is the highest ranking member of the SDGOP, after all.
          If Thune can take the initiative to have a private conversation with Trump, he can also take the initiative to have an open conversation with the membership of the party that elected him. That’s not asking too much.

          1. Someone has a Thune thing.

            Didn’t he beat you badly enough last time?

            Where was your support for the winner?

  13. It’s not just happening in South Dakota. The pendulum is swinging and there is going to be some fireworks in greater Minnesota too. The chaos grifters are going to be in for a big surprise this month. It’s going to be good! lol

    2. What do you mean? The GOP has been inconsequential in MN for a looooonngg time.

      However, we all know that change happens last in SD and we’re finally seeing the effects of Trumpism here. Normal people are tried of MAGA and I believe we will see that reflected in the results of the initiated measures this fall. The country is moving left and Republicans are helping that shift by supporting and electing crazy people.

  14. No matter the intention of why parties exist or nostalgia for the past, when they no longer do that, do they deserve their colossus role in who are on general election ballots? Is it democratic to disenfranchise 25% of the electorate to select general election candidates (to say pick a party even if you find them both reprehensible and you get a choice sounds like something you’d hear from Putin or Xe)?

    By the way, both sides are equally responsible for this situation.

  15. It wouldn’t be such a big deal if they were supporting the incumbent. To go against the incumbent is a strange decision.

    1. Matt Michels and his band of merry men could take this party back easily. They just have to want to.

  16. As the chair of Lincoln County Republicans, I cannot agree more with Roger Meyer, former chair of Yankton Co Republicans… “In my memory, a county party has never endorsed a candidate in a Republican primary.” NEVER has the Lincoln County Republican Party endorsed or given monies to any primary candidate.

    In fact, at our April 11, 2023, Sen. Jim Bolin moved that Lincoln County Republicans make a WRITTEN policy statement confirming that we as an organization will not endorse or financially support any Republican candidates involved in a Primary. Sen. Arch Beal seconded. After a short discussion, the motion passed unanimously. Personal campaign contributions are the only way to go in a Republican primary!

    That said, my husband and I will be sending a personal campaign check to Senator Jean Hunhoff and we challenge those who are involved in the Yankton County Republican Party to do the same… forget giving or supporting your current party leadership. In fact, anyone who is appalled by this behavior should send Senator Hunhoff a personal campaign donation to:
    Jean Hunhoff for Senate
    2511 Mulligan Dr.
    Yankton SD 57078

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