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Daugaard Seeks Nominations for District 16 House: Pick Ann Tornberg!

Governor Dennis Daugaard is asking you to nominate qualified District 16 residents to replace Patty Miller, who resigned from her House seat this week for personal reasons.

Ann Tornberg for District 16 House!
Ann Tornberg for District 16 House!

The obvious choice is long-time educator and dairy farm wife Ann Tornberg. She has run twice for a District 16 seat in the Legislature. She's smart and passionate about public service. Her experience in education and agriculture make her an expert on two of the biggest issues with which the Legislature deals. Plus, Tornberg was a debate coach, and I guarantee that debate coaches make for better government. Ask Mel Olson.

Tornberg is a Democrat, but she has shown her willingness to support good ideas and good people regardless of party label. Governor Daugaard, return the favor. Appoint Ann Tornberg to this vacant District 16 House seat.

If you agree that Tornberg would make a rock-'em-sock-'em legislator, call Daugaard aide Will Mortenson in the Office of the Governor at 605-773-5999 and tell him to pick Ann!

19 Comments

  1. Owen Reitzel 2013.03.29

    sounds like a good choice Cory. Won't happen but good try. At least she wouldn't be a far right conservative

  2. Kal Lis 2013.03.29

    Ann was a great coach. Her students always performed well. She cared about her students and the welfare of those who competed against her kids. The insinuations to the contrary in an above post reflect a contemptible animus.

    She also has powerful intellect.

    Owen is correct. It won't happen especially since she's part of the draft Brendan movement.

  3. Douglas Wiken 2013.03.29

    Steve plays the bigotry card again, but wrong game, wrong site, wrong time.

    Just because any of us, including Sibby, have goofy ideas, it does not mean we are obviously racists or bigots. Playing that card is a ticket to nowhere.

    Speaking of which, EARL cartoon today had Earl referring to his wife with, "Gone through menopause? She hasn't even gone through the BLACK HILLS."

    Steve could re-invigorate Oblivion.
    http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?city=Oblivion&country=South%20Dakota,%20USA

  4. Owen Reitzel 2013.03.29

    Your the one calling teachers totalitarians Steve?
    Who's the bigot?

  5. lee schenbeck 2013.03.29

    Cory, Ann is probably a fine person, and I am sure that when you get done with that research about how many republicans Dick Kniep appointed to legislative vacancies, you'll have a powerful argument for bipartisanship. But, if my aging memory serves me well, you might find it your research that pigs will fly before a democrat governor appoints a GOP legislator to a vacancy, and visa versa

  6. Rorschach 2013.03.29

    I don't know who lee schenbeck is, but he/she is right. A Republican governor will appoint a Republican to a vacant legislative seat. If that GOP governor needed any reason at all to do that, it's reason enough that it's a seat won and then vacated by a Republican.

    Now, if there were a Democratic legislative vacancy, I would be much surprised, and also give Gov. Daugaard major credit if he selected a Democrat. That would certainly be out of the norm - even if it is the right thing to do. But the present seat is a GOP held seat and will stay that way. Ann Tornberg should run again in 2014.

  7. grudznick 2013.03.29

    Governor Daugaard should nominate the staunchest and most common sense Republican he can find without crossing the line into insaner people. Asking him to appoint the last place finisher in a race is just silly.

  8. G-Man 2013.03.29

    Ann Tornberg sounds like my kind of candidate. A candidate who does not always put her party first, but, instead governs as a true representative of her district and everyone who lives in that district.

  9. caheidelberger Post author | 2013.03.30

    Well, Lee, should Governor Daugaard put selfish partisan concerns over the desire to pick a widely liked and qualified candidate just because Democrats are selfish and petty? My goodness! I would think Republicans would take their moral cues from sources nobler than us Dems.

  10. Independent Man 2013.03.30

    For the record, Ann Tornberg did not finish last in the race. It was a close race between Miller and Tornberg. Official results were Jim Bolin first with 6,760 votes (35.67%), Patty Miller with 5,093 (26.88%), Ann Tornberg with 4,969 (26.22%) and Stan Jacobsen with 2,128 (11.23%).

  11. Charlie Johnson 2013.03.30

    Just a 65 vote "swing" and Tornberg would be the sitting legislator. GDD has such a great Republican margin now. Putting a Democrat in that seat would give him and the Republican party such enormous PR play with voters. The payback in future elections would far outweigh handing the Dems one seat in the legislature. Of course why am I providing consultation to the Republicans. Go ahead appoint that Republican over Tornberg. Don't gain political favor with independent voters!!

  12. lee schoenbeck 2013.03.30

    The real (non-blog world) voters don't decide how to vote based on who gets any appointment, but it does make fun blogging. Cory, maybe the gov should aggressively seek out the best person, without regard to who lost best in the last election?

  13. caheidelberger Post author | 2013.03.30

    Sure, Lee. I'll be happy to contend that Ann Tornberg is that best person.

    And I'll agree on PR value: Tornberg's appointment would get a brief human interest blip on KSFY, then be forgotten by everyone but the blogosphere by 2014. Plus it would be wholly outweighed by Dennis's checked shirt (yay, Dennis) and bad policy (HB 1234... boo Dennis!).

    Besides, Dennis probably gives as little of a rip as to what we loyal Dems think as to what the Gordon Howie shouters think.

  14. grudznick 2013.03.30

    Charlie, I think the Governor Daugaard is too wise to the ways of libbies. Give them an inch and they'll forget it tomorrow and whack back with even insaner claims. He won't appoint this young woman. I bet you breakfast.

  15. Charlie Johnson 2013.03.30

    "Ways of the libbies"? You are right , Grud, he will not appoint Ms. Tornberg. But at some point, can't we just eliminate the labels and bring people in who are hard working, sincere, talented, and caring. Why should a D or R matter? Why should the legislature only function around the decisions made in Republican closed caucus. Arrogance?

  16. lee schoenbeck 2013.03.30

    Now Charlie, back in the days when the Dems had 1/3, so they could affect something other than the lunch order, they had opened caucuses - unless they were deciding how to vote on a ke issue. then they closed their "open" caucus, until they were done with that business. in other words, their "open" caucus, was,,, well ... closed !

  17. Charlie Johnson 2013.03.31

    Either way, Dems or Republicans, legislative business conducted behind closed doors is not good government. As a person or legislator, if you can't speak to the issues in a open and public way, then there is certain amount of cowardness that is associated with your position. Good piece of advice--"Mean what you say, and say what you mean."

  18. caheidelberger Post author | 2013.03.31

    Hey, wait a minute: something else occurs to me about Lee's statement about picking the best person regardless of who finished runner-up in the last election. Doesn't the fact that a person ran support the idea that that person might indeed be one of the best picks for the job? There is something to be said for wanting the job badly enough to subject oneself to the whips and scorns of campaign ads, the blogosphere, and the electorate.

  19. Charlie Johnson 2013.03.31

    Amen, Cory! But labels count in the real world. GDD will rule out the best replacement for a label that starts with the letter "R". Also don't forget BCD--"Behind closed doors" -that will be the other label.

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