From right to hard right? After appointing Paul Ryan true believer Joseph Schartz as student regent, Governor Dennis Daugaard reached out and pulled Tea Party faker R. Blake Curd back into the Legislature.
Ah, yes, because Sioux Falls doesn't send enough Christian fundamentalist goatees in Pierre. Hallelujah! (Grow it back, R. Blake!)
Curd served one term in the State House before Kristi Noem bewitched the Tea Party vote away from him in the 2010 GOP U.S. House primary. Now he steps up to the District 12 Senate seat vacated by Sanford-promoted J. Mark Johnston. (Remind me to move to District 12 and run as C. Allen.)
I suppose I shouldn't worry too much that Senator R. Blake Curd will pull the South Dakota Senate any further right. Despite his fake-right posing in the 2010 campaign, Curd accumulated a remarkable record of unconservative legislation in the House that should make right wingnuts cringe. (What is it about Sioux Falls doctors pretending to be Republicans just to get elected?)
And on the very good side, Curd's reëntry into politics opens the door for mirthful typos about Senator Crud.
I know a lot of people that like him as a doctor, including my daughter. But he didn't impress me a lot when I went to him for a broken arm. The one thing that did impress me the first time I went to him, my daughter went with me and he remembered her from the previous year. However, with me, I didn't think his "bedside" manner was real impressive. I hope as a senator he is better than a couple other male legislators from my district 12, that I have words with every now and then about abortion. I kind of like to make waves.
Clicking back through the links I came across the post about Dr. Curd's turreted house. Must have missed that post in 2010.
Driving through Riverview Heights as a teenager to see how "the other half" lives (or maybe just the 1%) I always admired that house in particular. Sitting on a cul de sac across from what was Terry Schulte's (Chevrolet dealer) house and next to the home that belonged to the daughter of Marvin Schwan (Schwans), the place was very cool and different. Since then it has grown dramatically with addition(s). Used to have just one turret.
I don't fault Dr. Curd for his success, which appears to be considerable. Seems to me he's done it on his own, and served in the military along the way - which I also admire. I think he would have made a better congress member than Kristi Noem. It being a given that the Governor would appoint a Republican to this state senate seat, Dr. Curd is a solid choice.
We can only hope that Manny runs against Blake in a Republican State Senate primary next year as a "I'm more Tea Party than you" type of candidate. Then, and only then, will the Dems have any chance in reclaiming that State Senate seat.