The SDGOP's mouthpiece on Dakota War College grumbles that Tea Partiers are waging primary warfare against certain Republican legislators in South Dakota while leaving certain Democrats unchallenged. Please note the sleight of hand: if the 15 GOP House primaries and 12 GOP Senate primaries really are the result of radical-right ruckusification (and I am eager to see for how many of these primaries Gordon Howie and Stace Nelson claim credit), DWC's real complaint ought to be that the radical right is able to get more traction in districts with strong Republican representation than in districts with strong Democratic representation.
Note further that DWC wants to shift the blame for the twelve unchallenged Dem seats away from the state GOP, the well-funded majority party, onto the disorganized and underfunded fringe groups that annoy them. If Dems are going unchallenged, the blame ought to lie squarely on the state GOP and its rookie executive director, Tony Post. Recall the qualifications South Dakota Republicans touted when they recruited Post last year from Minnesota:
Post also served as the political director and deputy executive director of the Minnesota Republican Party. Post recruited candidates to run in all 201 state house and senate seats in Minnesota, the first time all positions were filled in over 30 years.
..."I look forward to helping re-elect Congresswoman Noem and expand the Republican majorities in the South Dakota legislature in 2012," said Post [SDGOP press release, quoted in Tyler Crissman, "New SDGOP Executive Director Announced," Dakota War College, 2011.05.11].
I assume filling every Legislative slot with Republican candidates is harder in Minnesota than in South Dakota. Minnesota is bigger, and there are surely more hard-core blue districts there. Tony Post must have had to hustle to place that Minnesota achievement on his résumé.
Post appears to have left that hustle in Minnesota. He lets 60% of the Senate Democrats and 47% of the House Democrats have a free pass.
I understand the concept of deploying resources strategically. South Dakota Democrats have certainly done that: we've left 17 House seats and 11 Senate seats unchallenged (expect that Senate number to decrease with some "Indy" action in District 8). But Dems are handing those free passes to just 37% of Senate Republicans and 34% of House Republicans.
The SDGOP and Tony Post appear to be letting past success and one-party rule go to their heads. Instead of whining about right-wing activists challenging their status quo, South Dakota Republicans ought to be asking what they're doing wrong to draw such fire... and why Tony Post isn't working harder to fire back.
According to Pat Powers, the SDGOP leadership do not involve themselves in the primaries. Perhaps Pat should have told Davison County SDGOP chair Donna Weiland when he gave her ammunition to attack me:
http://sibbyonline.blogs.com/sibbyonline/2012/03/pat-powers-wrong-mislead-lied-davison-county-chair-takes-position-in-district-20-primary.html
"60% of the Senate Democrats?"
Cory, would that be like 3 out of 35 Senate races? Sounds like we almost had it covered. And don't count your chickens yet, perhaps some indies are coming in to conquer. Time will tell. How are the Dems doing getting contenders for the 105 seats? Why aren't you berating Ben for being so slack? As it relates to "hussle", apples to apples, Tony is making him look inert. It seems silly to criticize the supermajority for a lack of hustle.
For comparison, here are the numbers for past primaries:
2010 – 5 Senate Primaries (3 R, 2 D), 9 House Primaries (6 R, 3 D)
2008 – 11 Senate Primaries ( 8 R, 3 D), 20 House Primaries (10 R, 10 D)
2006 – 16 Senate Primaries ( 9 R, 7 D), 12 House Primaries (6 R, 6 D)
Isn't it true that lots of primaries means a party has lots of candidates and is a sign of party strength and viability whereas a lack of primaries is an indication there aren't so many and that things aren't so healthy? A contentious as we are, I'd say the evidence suggests the SDGOP is going strong. Of course, part of our strength as you see this year comes from the fact that a number of Republican candidates are closet libertarians, aka RINOs. And the fact that we fight each other, not so much the Dems, also says something about the Dems relevancy right now.
Sibby, you and Pat Powers should have a beer together and commiserate over the failed campaigns you have both run. You two have more in common than you are willing to admit.
"Of course, part of our strength as you see this year comes from the fact that a number of Republican candidates are closet libertarians, aka RINOs. "
Hickey, Check the SDGOP platform and you will find that the libertarians support it, the corporate socialists of the SDGOP don't.
Sibby - Jesus wants you to forgive Pat. To continue to call him out publicly seems bitter. He has nothing to do with the Davison County GOP. BTW, IMHO, if you are a bonafide contender there, and you are, you have a right to be at that Lincoln Day dinner.
But under it all, why are they pushing you away? What in your approach over the years has made people not want to hear what you want to say? How can you become one who people are asking to speak whenever you are in the area? I can imagine the Davison County GOP would bend rules if necessary to get someone to speak if such a person had a certain dynamic about them. Don't get mad at them. Change so they are hungry to hear you.
I do agree there is overlap in the GOP platform and Libertarian philosophy. I don't agree with all of your labels smearing various people in the GOP. Thought you'd appreciate this: http://www.voicescarryblog.com/why-im-not-a-libertarian/
The Dems need a George McGovern to resurrect things for them across the state. Republicans need to think about South Dakota and not their party platform. In both parties we need leaders, not just candidates and I have a lot more to say about that but for now this will be it.... leaders win people to go in a certain direction. They don't barrel on through and leave casualties everywhere. There is a certain stewardship of people that we need to learn so we aren't calling each other names for years after old offenses. There is a way to move on and come together for the big things.
And mostly these days I'm wondering why so many in our party are so focused on others instead of themselves. Just run your race. This was my one disappointment that I dropped out of the US House race in early 2010. From February to November I had a 38 week plan to lead the conversation on 38 issues instead of spending the entire campaign reacting and griping in press releases about the latest Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin shortcoming. My assessment of the public is they like candidates to lead the conversation on issues and candidates who aren't zeroed in on smearing their opponent.
I wish I'd have used the term "a certain stewardship of relationships" instead of stewardship of people. That says it better.
Yeah, Sibby, tell the pink slime what they want to hear: Roundup is good, CAFOs don't pollute, water supplies in the chemical toilet are infinite, and jesus is a white guy looking to off the infidels...cake.
"Republicans need to think about South Dakota and not their party platform."
Steve, thanks for your thoughtful advice. In my view the SDGOP platform is what is good for South Dakota. And I will always be critical of false teachers and those who say one thing (promote the SDGOP platform) to get elected and do another (support Obama's policies) once they are in office.
You're welcome. In love. Peace. Or in the words of Larry, cake?!
and jesus said: the use of atrazine is a human right; screw the other guy.
Here's the deal Steve. If Post's resume that qualified him for the job was that he defeated a 18 term incumbant in Oberstar and recruited a full slate of candidates in 2010 then why not do the same in SD?
Had Lucas Lentsch recruited so few candidates than when the wave of 2010 hit the GOP would have been screwed. Think it over for a while.
If you aren't prepared with candidate recruitment it's hard to reap the benefits when things go right.
"Change so they are hungry to hear you."
Steve, what they don't want to hear is Vehle's voting record. I gave it to Weiland during the 2010 campaign. Conservatives are suppose to be quiet and be happy with what is presented as the lessor of two evils. I am not running to win at all costs, which includes ignoring truth and instead saying anything to get elected. I do not want to be a politician. Instead I am seeking to be a servant leader who tells the people the truth and then sits back and listen while the people discuss what "we should" do about it. I know I have a long ways to go and that is why I appreciate your thoughtful advice.
A full slate of candidates is definitely the goal. According to Cory's link above, it looks like Post has been on the job since on or about 2011.05.11. I have no reason to defend him, my point was compared to the Dems, the GOP has a lot more hussle.
The Governor's Club is powerful in its ability to marginalize. Since Howie can no longer afford to be a player in the pyramid scheme the grapes have soured.
Mark of the Beast.
And Steve, I also saw Cory's deceptive use of statistics on this post. It is not the first and probably not the last.
With that said, I would like to offer another point. Perhaps the reason why the Dems don't field enough candidates is because too many of their players have switched to the GOP ranks. I will again argue that those socialist minded big government advocates are more RINO than the limited government libertarians.
Sibby: Democrats have fled the chemical toilet in droves leaving the reasons like you and Hickey for blue states where democracy thrives.
GMAFB.
You have a point there, Sibby. It's about 5 times as hard to get elected as a Democrat as it is if you're a Republican in South Dakota. That would be due to the shallowness of the voters and the machinations of the extreme right. Why then not fight fire with fire? If people are going to vote stupid, run stupid. LOL.
Dems need the equivalent of the Governor's Club or sue to make funds available for all if we want to make changes to the chemical toilet.
Sibby: There are a few who have switched to GOP. How many Heidepriem's and Jim Holbeck's are out there who've defected the other way? It's probably 3 to 1 in terms of party switching to win seats. (Rep 3, Dem 1) I'm guessing. No doubt this is a conservative state.
It took McGovern a couple election cycles to raise of the Dem party in the 1960s. Back to the Tony Post point I made earlier, McGovern didn't get it done in nine months.
raise UP the Dem party, not of -erg
And I guess McGovern (who btw was a Republican at first and switched) did his work in the Democratic party in the 1950's here across our state not the 1960s. My bad.
"That would be due to the shallowness of the voters and the machinations of the extreme right."
Bill, do you know anything about politics. He who wins is the one who has enough money to buy Name ID. Step 2 of fundraising 101 is the "Power" tier. Seek money from those wealthy business folks who have a stake in what happens in a government that creates jobs. Sorry Bill, but you are going to have a hard time explaining to me that corporate socialism is a conservative ideology. It is the Marxist Dems who turn off the corporate socialists.
"No doubt this is a conservative state."
That is why a scorecard that shows just how anti-conservative the legislative process in Pierre really is, is so important.
It seems to take leadership and good candidates working with talented staff for a party to compete. I am writing a weekly series for The Daily Republic looking back at the 1972 McGovern for president campaign, which occurred at a high-water mark for SD Democrats.
At about this point 40 years ago, McGovern came home off the campaign trail for a party rally in Huron. At the event were a Democratic governor, Dick Kneip, and lieutenant governor, Bill Dougherty (the offices were elected separately then), a Democratic senator (McGovern) and two Democratic congressmen -- First District Rep. Frank Denholm and Second District Rep. Jim Abourezk, who went on to win a Senate seat that fall to replace the retiring Karl Mundt. The Demos were on the rise at the time but that changed in the wake of divisive Democratic primaries for governor in 1974 (Kneip-Dougherty) and 1978 (Harvey Wollman-Roger McKellips). The party has yet to regain its momentum.
The man who built the party into a competitive force, George McGovern, faced longer odds in the early 1950s, when he was named the party's secretary. It was a low period, with the GOP in an even more commanding position than it holds now. But he changed that and found smart people to work with such as Dougherty, George Cunningham and others. GM turns 90 this summer, so it's unlikely he would take the job on again.
Post is a fine individual I am sure but his job was to recruit candidates.
People said all along that if the SD GOP would have hired a South Dakotan experienced in the workings of the state. (Which there were some who applied). We would have easily completed a full slate.
This is bad leadership from Tim Rave. PERIOD.
Tom, perhaps it was McGovern who was too extreme for the neo-cons and they were chased into the GOP. So McGovern can be blamed for the SDGOP dominance?
No Sibby, I don't know anything about politics.
I voted for Gus Hall in '72.
I don't know how much Tom Post had to do with the current Repub scandals and disarray in MN. Maybe he got out before the feces hit the oscillator.
The Repubs have the House and Senate. MN is only saved by our Dem governor, Mark Dayton.
Beginning last fall, the scandal started oozing out of the darkly secret Repub corners:
The Speaker of the House, Amy Koch, married with children, had an affair with a chief Repub legislative advisor/bully boy, Michael Brodkorb. He was the behind-the-scenes-enforcer who ran things. Three other members of the Repub leadership, including Rep. Michels, confronted Koch in a hotel room. She admitted it all and stepped down from her leadership position. She has remained in the House, but is not seeking re-election to any office this fall.
Brodkorb was fired. An old-time Repub, Dave Senjem, was selected to take over the leadership of Koch. News slipped out that Michels had known of the Koch/Brodkorb affair for several months, but did nothing. He was kicked out, or the Repubs are attempting to kick him out of office.
In the meantime, Brodkorb is now suing the Senate, saying that firing him was gender discrimination. He says that he is aware of many instances of affairs between elected men and other women, but no heads rolled in those cases. Brodkorb is publicly threatening that if he is not reinstated, he will make public the list of names involved in affairs. Nobody doubts that Brodkorb is mean enough to do it.
That's where the story is at in this moment in time.
Where does Post fit in any of this? I don't know. Maybe he doesn't fit at all. But if he was all that influential in MN Repub politics, one might wonder.
Two good resources for more info on the MN Repub scandal are
minnpost.com
http://www.startribune.com/
The Strib has a paywall, but you can look at something like 15 articles before it kicks iin.
I think both sides (Post and Nesselhof) did a good job. In the end, the GOP conceded only 3 Senate seats and 8 House Seats while the Dems conceded 10 Senate seats and 11 House seats (much better than last time) resulting in the GOP being up 7 in the Senate and 3 in the House before the first vote is counted.
I think primaries are good so I'm impressed the GOP has 12 Senate primaries and 15 House primaries (vs. only one Dem Senate and two Dem House primaries).
Ms. Bishop:
Huh? You insinuate that because he used to work in Minnesota Post is somehow associated hiding affairs? Does this make anyone associated with JFK or John Edwards who worked for them are damaged goods or can have their character questioned? And this is somehow related to candidate recruitment? This is what is disgusting about politics. People think they can say anything to impugn or raise questions about another's character without absolutely any evidence besides they once worked.
P.S. Both Post and Nesselhof lost some candidates who they thought were likely to run who decided not to run.
Somedays, I just think we should say "good job" to everyone, have an election about the issues, and let the people decide who they want to do their business.
Steve, it was only after McGovern left office in January 1981 than the GOP began to seize such control, as Reagan led the conservative tide that swept across the USA.
McGovern was/is a titan in SD political history, tough as it may be for you to accept.
And even as late as during the summer and fall of 1994, SD had two Democratic senators, Daschle and Johnson, and its sole member of the House, SHS, was a Democrat. McGovern has often said, he didn't win five races in SD by not knowing how to get Republican votes. His farm policies, pro-peace and distrust of big business played well here.
During the McGovern Conference last fall, a speaker pointed out that SD candidates do well by playing on our rural resentment by running against something "Big," be it government and business. GM knew that; can the contemporary D's follow that?
It also has a lot to do with candidates, and John Thune, the leader of the SD GOP, is a strong, attractive candidate.
If both parties have a tough time filling slots for the SD senate and house, maybe we should reduce the number in each chamber.
Rep. Hickey: "lead the conversation on issues"—I am so glad to hear those words out of your mouth. Leading the conversation is job one for every responsible candidate.
Steve and Steve: I offer no deceptive use of statistics. I try to put the two parties' performance in filling slots into perspective relative to the current strength of each party. Republicans have an advantage in seats and voter registration. Relative to their current seats, the GOP performed worse at filling slots than the Dems. Post achieved a much more difficult task in filling all seats in a state where Dems are more competitive. We have no such metric against which to measure Nesselhuf's performance (although I'm going to go look at seats left open by Dems in the past). Post appears to be underperforming.