Last updated on 2016-12-13
After spinning eagerly for apparent favorite Rep. Alex Jensen, feckless GOP spin blogger Pat Powers has to put a good face on Sioux Falls Republicans’ spoiling his bet and picking their own Hillary Clinton—Sue Peterson, a Montana native and wife of former four-term Republican Representative Bill Peterson—to replace Rep. Steve Westra on the District 13 ballot.
Sioux Falls Republicans appear more impressed with long-time service to the party than incumbency. Jensen is finishing his freshman term in the House; Peterson has vice-chaired the SDGOP but has not held public elected office. Her experience is not insubstantial, yet her nomination over a sitting legislator who has won an election and is willing to run again raises questions about Jensen’s political capital.
Unlike the mainstream Republicans who fought Stace Nelson in the primary, Sioux Falls Republicans appear not to be holding Peterson’s 2014 political activities against her. Peterson and her husband backed Larry Rhoden in the 2014 U.S. Senate campaign, but they also expressed due admiration for the ultimate winner of the 2014 election, Mike Rounds. Peterson’s politics may even be more Stace-y than Jensen’s: Powers hints that Peterson “will probably be a bit harder right” than Westra. Hmm… are Sioux Falls Republicans tilting away from the Rounds wing of the party and more toward the anti-RINO Nelson wing? If so, such a tilt may help District 13 Democratic candidates Ellee Spawn and P. James Eckhoff win more moderate, practical Sioux Falls votes.
Farther right than Westra? I won’t feign disappointment, but I’m still going to need help to keep her out of Pierre. There are yard signs to buy and a billboard to pay for yet. Any help is appreciated.
Come to the Dem booth at the Minnehaha County Fair this week and say hi!
@CAH “Mainstream?” Sorry, the establishment RINO wing of the GOP is NOT mainstream Republicans. You don’t see the RINOs proudly touting their departures from the GOP platform to get elected. What you do see, in elections years, are all of them claiming they are rock-ribbed conservatives who believe in limited government and reducing taxes. If that was only the case? We would not have seen an explosion in state spending; the largest tax and fee increases in SD history; and, the attacks on actual conservative candidates and legislators.
That’s a bummer. I really like my short-lived primary opponent, Alex Jensen, and was hoping to see him in the race. We saw eye-to-eye on most issues, and he’s better looking than I am. :)
Don’t know anything about Sue… guess we’ll find out this fall.
Kind regards,
David
David, send me the flyers she hangs on your door or drops in your mailbox. We’ll see just how much more right-wing she is than your friend Mr. Jensen.