Uh oh—another Madison High School debate alumnus is running for the South Dakota Senate!
Hoping to join me in the upper chamber next winter is David Bergan. He announced his candidacy on Facebook Friday night (minutes ago, as I write):
Bergan is as bothered with the dysfunction in Pierre as I am… but interestingly, he’s running as a Republican. (Oh, the friends I have….) Check out his website, and you’ll see that he’s an Augie grad, a businessman (SD Retailers and Chamber member), and a churchgoing man who actually uses the word theology on his campaign website.
Running in District 13 means Bergan is running for the seat currently held by longtime Republican legislator Phyllis Heineman. The seven-term veteran (first a Janklow appointee in 1999, then elected four times to the House and three times to the Senate) hasn’t filed her nominating petition yet, and her online campaign sites haven’t been updated since September 2014 (because, you know, once you’ve been elected, you don’t need to to try engaging those tech-savvy voters any more). Heineman ran unopposed in 2014 after Democrat Reynold Nesiba withdrew from the race. Nesiba is running this year for Senate in District 15.
At the moment, it appears that if Heineman wants to keep her job, she’ll have to face Bergan in the June primary. Whoever else jumps on the GOP ticket, Dems had better find a District 13 Senate candidate—I’d sure hate to have to endorse a Republican… and if Bergan is seeking GOP primary votes, he might hate to have me endorse him!
But partisan baseball be darned, I know David. I know he’s more interested in problem-solving than sloganeering and culture-warring. He and I can find plenty if policy disagreements, but we can disagree about them intelligently and respectfully. MHS Debate did that for us both.
Bergan would make a good Senator. I look forward to hearing him make that case to grow the debatocracy to District 13 voters.
Well, I guess when you own a horse named Dudgeon, you gotta climb on and ride it occasionally. Evidently David hasn’t heard the ol’ adage about those respecting the law and loving sausage shouldn’t watch either being made. At least his website has a little more information on it than the pat introductory bio. But seriously, passing regulations for 100% autonomously driven cars is one of his top legislative priorities? Here’s hoping his horse doesn’t get lost in the weeds.
Coyote,you are all sweetness and light. Ain’t it breeding season for you and the rest of the pack?
Don, would you care to compare Bergan’s tech-focused agenda with Heineman’s?
I was actually sitting in the booth behind him at a local restaurant in Sioux Falls last Sunday. He was talking with whoever he and his family were having dinner with about his run. He seems like a guy who won’t be wasting his time with toilet legislation. He was saying he wants to go to Pierre and do actual work. I would probably vote for him, if I lived in his district.
Scott, that’s my impression as well (and why didn’t you send me a tip last Sunday?! ;-) ). Bergan isn’t interested in political games; he just wants to solve problems.
Cory, I would’ve had I known what his name was. I will say that I heard a buddy of his plans on running in another district as well.
I’ll check with David, see if he can tell us who his aspiring buddy is. I hope it’s another MHS debater! Forward the debatocracy! :-)
What are you saying?? Finally a good republican to run for the legislature. I had given up thinking this was even possible. I miss the old days of Bob Weber and Henry Poppen!!
Charlene, I’d say he’s more “good” than “Republican.”
Looks like Thune’s horse is getting lost in the weeds… :)
http://dakotawarcollege.com/thune-examines-how-self-driving-vehicles-could-benefit-consumers-and-businesses
Well David, Trump needs a yes man by his side. Dont rule Thune out, he would give up SD in flash for power.
The Blindman