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Portland Sends Rapid City Dentist to Run for District 30 House

Wait a minute: Kevin Woster floats the possibility of Rapid City journalist and filmmaker Sam Hurst running for U.S. Senate, and Pat Powers derisively dismisses Hurst as “a LA filmmaker,” apparently because Hurst used to work in Los Angeles.

But some dentist moves here from Portlandia just four years ago and decides to run for District 30 House, and since he’s a fellow conservative Catholic, Powers gives him softball press. If we’re going to pursue Powers’s usual politics of exclusion, Rich Mounce is far less South Dakotan than Sam Hurst… but real South Dakota-ness is only an issue for the GOP spin machine when it needs to avoid talking issues and demonize a Democrat.

Rich Mounce promises to bring “a new and fresh voice” to Pierre. Come on, Rich: saying you’re “anchored in Christian values,” dedicating yourself to “Preserving cherished Second Amendment rights,” and using “Aiding the global efforts of our military services, especially those at Ellsworth AFB” as code for skewing the military mission to sustain your district’s dependence on corporate welfare for the military-industrial complex is anything but new and fresh in Pierre.

Unlike the South Dakota Republican Party, whose members fear folks from the West Coast who might change our culture, I welcome folks who want to move to South Dakota, participate in civic life, and share their ideas for improving our fair state. But sheesh, at least bring some new ideas… not to mention some philosophical consistency.

Now for Pete’s sake, if a Portlander is going to move to South Dakota and run for Legislature, why can’t it be Fred Armisen… or Mayor Kyle McLachlan?

60 Comments

  1. mike from iowa

    According to Wiki,this guy likes technical wrecks and cave diving. Ought to feel right at home with the technical wreck wingnuts have made of South Dakota. Does root canals,too.

  2. Deb Geelsdottir

    “Portlandia” is one of the weirdest shows on TV or stream. Plus, Mounce is a weird name. Those “common sense South Dakota reasons” to oppose Pouncy Mouncy are just as valid as PP’s to oppose Sam Hurst.

  3. Nick Nemec

    I’m not sure where all Sam Hurst has lived but he’s been a regular participant for years in the Mount Blogmore Requiem Hunt that Kevin Woster and I sponsor each year, and his daughter is a teacher at Todd County School. Sam is a smart guy, a true gentleman, well versed in many topics plus a pretty good shot with the 20 gauge.

  4. Deb Geelsdottir

    In addition, Pouncy Mouncy is a DENTIST! Dentists hurt people! Dentists kill pet lions! Pouncy Mouncy is no SD Values Guy!

  5. mike from iowa

    On a lighter note,Deb-there is a Cecil the lion Halloween costume being advertised. Comes complete? with a severed head. Another lion from the same park as Cecil attacked and killed a guide leading a foot tour in the park. The report said the guide and the group flushed the lions and decided to follow for some inexplicable reason. Karma/Kismet is a beach. Lions got back one of their own.

  6. Rorschach

    Dr. Mounce seems potentially less radical than the folks representing that district now.

  7. “Pounce on Mounce!” Deb, I don’t know if that works better as a slogan for Mounce or for his opponent. Maybe we need to let him get elected, just so his 2018 challenger can chant, “Bounce Mounce!”

    Rohr, being less radical than the Verchio-Russell team is like being more tolerant of Jews than Hitler.

  8. mike from iowa

    Yabbut Deb is funny!

  9. Lee Schoenbeck

    I’m not sure why the Catholic reference is included in this article. I don’t know Dr Mounce, but referencing his faith as part of some conspiracy seems odd.

    PS I concur with Nick that Sam is an ok shot and – for at least as I’ve known him – been in South Dakota. He is also, and this is the only knock on his SDak creds, a little quircky in his hunting attire – but even that’s kind of cool.

  10. Lee, I’m just trying to find some reason that Powers would find one political candidate who spent most of his life out of state worthy of positive coverage while summarily dismissing other, arguably more deeply South Dakotan candidates out of hand for having spent any time elsewhere. I mention the religious affiliation (which Mounce finds worth mentioning on his campaign website bio, which means he apparently considers his Catholicism something that should sway voters to elect him) as part of the explanation of Powers’s favoritism.

  11. Hey, Nick, Lee, do we know how good a shot Mounce is?

  12. Bill Fleming

    In general, I agree with Powers’s comment on your post here, Cory:
    http://dakotawarcollege.com/apparently-liberals-think-its-all-a-big-catholic-plot/

    Politics and religion should be mutually exclusive. Glad to see him make that point (if indeed he’s proposing to make it.)

    Can we expect that from now on, Mr. Powers follow that philosophy himself, and encourage others on his site to do so as well? Time will tell, I suppose.

  13. Wow, Pat bothers to (a) generate original content, and (b) respond to this blog? Geez, wouldn’t it be easier if he just came to the comment section? ;-)

    Once again, Powers seems to conflate my individual writing with the thinking of all “liberals.”

    I’m all for politics and religion being mutually exclusive. I’d love to see Pat call for Mounce to remove all mention of religion from his political campaign website. Then I’d believe that he’s ready to make the valid point that Bill F. hopes against hope Pat may be making.

    But that’s not Pat’s intent. Notice that, contrary to Pat’s cries, I neither introduced Mounce’s creed into the discussion (Mounce did that) nor made any criticism of that creed itself. I simply note that Pat’s favoritism for people who share his religious views is one reasonable explanation for his clear hypocrisy… from which he wants desperately to distract everyone’s attention.

  14. larry kurtz

    Bill Janklow’s idea of public radio gave DWC some electrons today after he heralded the fake fringe banking initiative. Pat’s crutches are myriad including charity from his church for his ailing family.

  15. larry kurtz

    catholicism is a faith like herpes is a kiss.

  16. mike from iowa

    Guy moved to RC from Vancouver,Washington in 2011. Born in Portland and his wife has family in the RC area.

  17. Don Coyote

    “But some dentist moves here from Portlandia just four years ago and decides to run for District 30 House … ”

    Speaking of carpetbaggers, whatever happened to Corinna Robinson? Selling Amway, Fullerbrush or back to Washington to pick some low hanging fruit before the Big “O” packs up and leaves in 2017?

  18. larry kurtz

    Speaking of earth haters: how was the Americans for Disparity conference, Don?

  19. larry kurtz

    The photo that PP took of Don Haggar suggests that hunger is not any of their priorities but hypertension likely is.

  20. larry kurtz

    Lifting a mid-drift aside to relieve oneself must be a drag, Don: init?

  21. Don Coyote

    That’s the best you got Larry? Since you are the Dumb Major of the Outrage Brigade I should expect better but I’ll let you keep your low expectations. Here, this is how it’s done.

    Paraphrasing Isaac Asimov: “There is a cult of stupidity in this country nurtured by a notion that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge” and you are a charter member.”

  22. Thanks for that reminder of Powers’s further hypocrisy, Don! Powers mercilessly ripped Robinson for daring to bring her out-of-state views to South Dakota’s Congressional race last year. She grew up in Rapid City before joining the military, but all we heard from Pat was “Carpetbagger!” Mounce has less SD cred than Robinson, but we haven’t heard Pat apply the C-word yet. Hmmm….

  23. (Good grief, boys, take your insult contest to Pat’s comment section.)

  24. larry kurtz

    Is Jenna still seeing what’s-his-name? Laffable, no that’s not it. Help me, Don.

  25. larry kurtz

    he’s named after some mythical biblical fellow: lot? no. noah? nope. Yitzak, or something….

  26. Porter Lansing

    Apparently, Pope Francis makes P̶A̶T̶ ̶P̶O̶W̶E̶R̶S̶ err… conservative Catholics “grumpy.” We liberals find this “conservative proclivity to grumpiness” revealing because, presumably, it confirms our preexisting stereotype of conservatives as dour, joyless, scolds. DEMOCRATS ARE HAPPIER THAN REPUBLICANS … and proud of it.
    https://www.catholicvote.org/conservative-catholics-does-pope-francis-make-you-grumpy/

  27. Don Coyote

    @cah: FWIW. Mounce did marry a Black Hills girl who wanted to move home. Certainly you can understand that following your wife around. And he’s started a couple of businesses here as well. Sounds like he’s put down more roots than Robinson even thought of. Besides, running for the State Legislature is hardly swinging for the fences the way Robinson did.

  28. larry kurtz

    Sam Kephart on meth, kinda.

  29. larry kurtz

    not mr. latterday. sam. my bad.

  30. larry kurtz

    did i mention they’re bulldozing lawrence county for white people?

  31. larry kurtz

    mounce for sprawl!

  32. grudznick

    Lar, that back 9 is going to be sweet for fellows like you who golf. You have the front 9 on one side of the interstate and the back 9 on the other and motorcycles roaring down the middle. The Frawley Ranch will soon look like condos at the base of a New Mexico ski hill.

  33. Nick Nemec

    CH, I’ve never even met Mr. Mounce so I am unable to comment on his marksmanship.

    Lee is right, Sam Hurst doesn’t wear traditional SD hunting attire. Wearing hunting boots and jeans topped with a button down shirt, tweed jacket and tie and carrying a double barrel shotgun, he would fit right in with a group of gentlemen farmers out for an afternoon hunt. Lee looks like a typical SD hunter and I look like a dirt farmer who had to go out to the shop and rummage around in the junk pails looking for shotgun shells. I appreciate Mr. Hurst’s attire, he brings a bit of class to an otherwise completely undistinguished group of hunters.

  34. larry kurtz

    Yitzak Latterday, that’s it!

  35. larry kurtz

    shorter cory: blue state pukes up dentist.

  36. Troy

    Three comments:

    1) i have no problem with a person introducing themself and mentioning their religion if they think it gives insight into who they are. I also have no problem if a person demures from mentioning it. At the same time, that is neither a reason to vote for or against a person. Personally, I think it has no net gain or loss politically.

    2) South Dakota cred is wholly subjective for the voters and it is hard to discern what they deem cred and what they don’t. I have no problem with you asking the question if you want about Mounce and Pat doing it with Hurst. And, Mounce and Hurst have to answer the questions satisfactorily. It is naive for either of them to think the question won’t be asked. In reality, I think primary voters consider it more substantively than general election voters because in the primary often the differences are smaller.

    3) I find it absurd to assert Pat’s commentary had anything to do with his religion. He mentions every candidate for the legislature and makes positive comments if he thinks he will be a good candidate just as you do. I think when both of you mention newly announced candidates, you are doing a service to your readers.

    Sidenote: In the end, I’m confident the candidates religion and SD cred is not going to be decisive in either race. Seriously, does anyone think the GOP nominee isn’t going to win in District 20 or that Thune won’t be re=elected?

  37. jerry

    Tehran John can be beaten. Maybe not like a pinata, but ole slim can trip on his shoe laces.

  38. Porter Lansing

    @Troy Jones … Your right wing extremist bias renders your opinions beyond invalid. Of course that’s what you think. You’re riding in the back pocket of the very anxious Powers and Schoenbeck.

  39. mike from iowa

    Ain’t South Dakota cred that bothers me,it is South Dakota “Values” that wingnuts espouse and then do nothing in congress except obstruct Obama and work for the koch bros. Some values.huh?

  40. Disgusted Dakotan

    Every time someone in the SD media gives any of these moderate establishment clowns the identification of being “conservative?” It props them up with actual conservatives across the state and does your liberal cause a blow. Powers is a paid operative, literally a political prostitute. He is no conservative. Read Dr Mounce’s positions, he also is no conservative. Now, he mouths some conservative positions to fit in; but, when was the last time you heard Rep Lance Russell, Liz May, Betty Olsen, etc., say:
    “•Growing our economy (especially in the agriculture, tourism, small business and professional sectors)
    •Caring and responsible stewardship of South Dakota’s natural and financial resources
    •Aiding the global efforts of our military services, especially those at Ellsworth AFB
    •Improving rural access to health care and infrastructure investments”

    That all says Mounce is another faux Republican who believes the answer is more government.

    You claiming Mounce is a conservative gives him credibility to a very libertarian/conservative section of SD.

  41. Bill Fleming

    Sam Hurst has been a South Dakotan longer than Mr. Powers’ kids and dogs have. ;-)

  42. Porter Lansing

    @Disgusted ….. Would that be a “MOUNCE DENOUNCE”??? ✔

  43. larry kurtz

    Sam grew up in Watertown, right?

  44. Nick, remind me to put together something dapper for this year’s hunt. ;-)

  45. “No net gain or loss”? Troy, baloney. Thinking candidates do not put one word or image on their websites that they do not think offers net gain in votes and/or donations. Mounce evidently thinks “I’m Catholic” wins him votes.

    Troy, Pat does not mention every candidate, or at least not equally. That’s the whole point here. On a basic question of South Dakota cred, he insults Hurst and Robinson while giving the easily shown less-cred Mounce a free pass on that issue. That’s pure partisan crap.

    And I raise the South Dakota cred issue only to fill in the gaps of Pat’s dogged raising of that issue. As I said, I welcome newcomers to our state to engage with their adopted polis and bring us their new ideas. Pat takes no such position, except when it allows him to tout his fellow travelers.

  46. I do agree, Troy, that District 30 and the U.S. Senate seat are uphill climbs for Dems. I do not concede the impossibility of those climbs.

  47. Porter Lansing

    As a fundamentally trained French chef and a retired culinary professional may I say, “Wild pheasant is one of the least desirable and most over-hyped birds on the wing. It’s nature is dry and stringy and no matter how much cream of mushroom soups it’s baked in, it’s weak. It’s about killing and little else. However, I do have the penultimate recipe for Orange Pheasant and Green Chile Enchiladas which I serve (to lucky liberals) upon request.” lol PS: Kansas and Nebraska pheasants, which I’ve hunted mostly in the last 3 decades, rarely have corn in their craw; just wheat, millet and sorghum.

  48. Troy

    CAH,

    This is my opinion: While there are more non-Catholics in every district than Catholics, for every person turned on because of one being Catholic, there is another who is turned off. No net gain.

    If I were to run for office (which I have no intention of every doing), I’d list these personal things, which I would expect would have no electoral effect, because they are what takes up my non-work, non-political time. I’m neither ashamed or proud of my list and I would expect you wouldn’t be either. Because I know them, there are Democrats, Libertarians, Socialists, who have virtually the same list.

    Wife, four children, six grandchildren, golf, hunt, Twins fan, Catholic, and read historical biographies.

    Most important, every person has their own list. Its the fabric of what makes society interesting.

    That said, ALL candidates give a sense of who they are via various media. It humanizes them (which is good) and rightly communicates representatives are more than a list of issues. Every candidate should do it and I applaud it. I’m not going to vote for you because you ride a bike or against you because you ride a bike. But, I’m glad to know you ride a bike.

  49. Troy

    P.S. For what it is worth, 35% of the GOP candidates for President are Catholic (33% of the Dems when Biden gets in). If I were to vote today, I would not vote for a Catholic in the primary. However, as it is early and I’m really undecided, my top four and bottom two are 50% Catholic.

  50. larry kurtz

    Pope Frank is a squish, too, Troy. Go buy the grace of dog and sin no more.

  51. Mounce mentions the church he goes to: indeed, being Catholic will lose him some votes. However, he brands himself primarily as a conservative Christian, which says just as clearly, “Hey, I like Jesus; therefore, you should vote for me.”

    I’m probably just envious, because I know that his declaration of belief wins more votes than mine would. ;-)

  52. Porter Lansing

    Since the Holy Father decreed the ongoing crusade by Schoenbeck, Powers,Troy Jones and now Mounce (demeaning the rights of women, seniors and minorities) to be wrongfully misdirected this impious triumvirate has been wandering and muttering; irresolute and unguided. Like Fatherless fools, if you will. But why wouldn’t they? When the Pope says you’re wrong politically, the voters are soon to follow. Their plot to absquatulate the “people’s rights” has ended.

  53. mike from iowa

    It isn’t that I personally like jesus,but I enjoy the S*** out of connecting his name with mine so the rubes vote for me. These tools can’t even begin to see what I do is in direct conflict with the teachings of their lord and saviour. Toss these tools a little religious red meat and never worry again about getting re-elected. Remember,this conversation is just between the two of us. If word leaks out I’ll just say you took my words out of context after I deny saying them at all.

  54. Cody Raterman

    As long as Hurst can leave the sports talk at the door, he’s got my vote (and my wife’s). Wonderful guy, just can’t joust him with his extraordinary NBA and MLB knowledge. In a league of his own on .

  55. Deb Geelsdottir

    Mike, your link to Krugman’s brief comment is outstanding. He has defined pseudo-Christian conservatism perfectly.

    Disclaimer: Not every conservative Christian fits Krugman’s definition, but the ones who make a lot of noise do.

  56. Porter Lansing

    So true, Ms. G … and as Hillary rises to our Presidency the capital “C” Conservatives will become more and more incensed that a woman is our leader. The “acting out” being shown by Trump-eters will get bigger and louder until every shred of the farce known as the Republic Party will disintegrate on a nat’l stage. “On with the show, this is it.” lol

  57. Lynn

    Joe Biden might just jump in and win given many Dems not being very excited about HRC. O’Malley, Sanders and Webb have voiced their frustration with the DNC setting things up for a “Coronation.”

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