After announcing his bid for Governor at his family ranch on the banks of the Missouri River, Senator Billie Sutton took a few minutes to tell Dakota Free Press why he’s running to become South Dakota’s first Democratic Governor since Richard Kneip and Harvey Wollmann in the 1970s:
Sutton hit the issue of corruption and one-party rule strongly in this interview and in his announcement speech (video coming soon!). Note that Sutton is ready to play to all bases, not just the West River ranch vote. Working from his experience bringing factions together in the Legislature, Sutton is already building a narrative of being able to bring all South Dakotans together, rural and urban, rich and poor, old-line Democrats and Bernie Sanders Dems.
But darn, that standard demurring answer on his opponents! “Stick to focusing on our own campaign… not worry about the fray”—come on, Billie! Take a poke! Make Kristi and Marty worry about the fray! :-)
Looks like this year we will have two Governor candidates with a 100% Right to Life voting record. That is good.
Now that resolved, we can discuss other issues.
“Resolved” is a bit final for my test. I hope this doesn’t devolve into giving the false impression that we all agree that government gets make decisions for women.
Cory,
You have never been shy to voice your opinions on the abortion issue, going as far to say that laws restricting womens’ access to abortion is making them second class citizens. In fact, you once lumped Sutton in the grouping of
How does Sutton’s stance on this issue affect your assessment of him as a potential Governor, and would it inhibit you from endorsing him? How do you see it affecting the SDDP or DNC from supporting him?
Likewise, you have criticized other political candidates over their inclusion of religion in their campaigns and their roles as politicians. What are you thoughts on Sutton’s inclusion of his faith in his campaign, as well as his life.
To what extent are you concerned that Sutton will follow what he thinks is God’s plan is for his role as Governor, as opposed to his own plan or the will of the people?
Oh good lord…..
Joe, you know I’m not a single-issue voter. If Sutton refuses to stand up for women’s rights (something that I would think would be tough, given the strong women in his family and on his campaign), I will be vocally bothered. Such a refusal won’t drive me to vote for Noem or Jackley, who are even worse on the issue, but if Billie becomes Governor, I will lobby him hard to veto any further restrictions on abortion and push his caucus to repeal South Dakota’s oppressive legislation on abortion.
The SDDP leaders may not mind. There’s some strong sentiment among party leaders to run away from our brand. That bothers me.
Troy is already picking lopsided percentage number losses over at that other blog. If I were them I wouldn’t be so smug about predicting another loss for dems. The dems have chosen a serious reputable candidate this time.
Cory, I agree with you on the women’s right issue as it regards Sutton. But I want to hear it from him. I want to know how far and how deeply it goes. There’s no way I will vote for Noem or Jackley, but I still want to hear Sutton’s own words on the issues. I know it’s early, but this is something he’ll have to address, much as he doesn’t want to, I’m sure, because in SD it’s a no-win situation.
Same with the gun issue. No one’s imagining or advocating taking guns away, but what about reasonable control? (I’ve been to the Sutton sites, not finding anything on positions.)
Robin, Spencer and I just discussed the gun issue for our upcoming podcast (stay tuned—should be out later today!). On the gun issue, it occurs to me that Billie, with his A rating from the NRA, isn’t rejecting some Democratic position. He’s simply challenging the false narrative the Republicans peddle that Republicans love guns and that Democrats want to ban guns. Banning guns is not a mainline Democratic principle. Barack Obama never came to take anyone’s guns. No Democrat in South Dakota wants to take anyone’s guns. Democrats like shooting stuff and feeling safe from bad guys as much as anyone else. BIllie can speak to sensibility and reality against the fantasies people like Pat Powers peddle.
Percentages depend on which Republican the GOP nominates, whether Huether runs as an independent, and how much damage Trump does before mid-terms.
I am continually amazed at the direction of the foregoing comments. Sutton speaks of corruption, jobs, transparency and education but the first 3 topics to come up are abortion, religion and guns. Emotional wedge issues pushed by the repubs and unfortunately watered by the Dem’s.
Stop and think; abortion should only be between a woman and her Doctor; religion should be between an individual and his beliefs/church and since everyone seems to love guns what the hell are we fighting about.
We have so many real problems that never get a hearing because we are so busy fighting over emotional wedge issues that will never ever be resolved. Issues that should not be in the political sphere to begin with.
The phrase “Common Sense” comes mind, flaunted by all and used by none.
Too funny this abortion gun right deal a day after the announcement. Hell, even Troy gets the right to life thingy while Joe is still trying to find his inner cult tribal republican self. I never thought I would say this but, Troy is correcto mundo on his take of Billie Sutton.
jerry,
I am not a Republican. Additionally, I am not pushing any agenda, or even sharing my opinions on Sutton. Cory has shown a strong stance on both abortion and religion in politics, both topics which apply directly to Sutton. I am not claiming that Sutton is a Democrat in Name Only, but he is certainly going against the party line on the abortion issue and gun issue. All I was looking to find out is how this deviation from the party line affects Cory’s position (see his response above), and if Sutton is immune from criticism in regards to mixing religion and politics as Cory has criticized other politician for doing just that (response…forthcoming?). Sutton was also a vocal supporter of Clinton, where as Cory seemed to support Sanders more, and I am curious how this will affect Cory’s coverage of the upcoming race.
I look forward to more Democrats joining the race, as more choices usually results in the best person getting elected (unless the media overly focuses on one candidate, in which case they will win e.g. Trump)
Mr. Nelson, you could’ve fooled me. Can you show me where in the SDDP there is a party stance against the 2nd Amendment. I have not been able to find one so I think there is not, so show me that one. Let’s work on that first and then we move on to the other ones.
Regarding God’s plan as stated. Can be just about anything as it is unknown. I am not sure how someone saying that is anything other than saying they have a personal belief. If you have it, good for you, if you don’t have it, good for you as well. Now if the were to have said that his God has told him to run and by golly that is exactly what he intends to do, then I would have a problem with that. He did not say that. So what is the beef or where is the beef, I am getting hungry.
Cory was the feller who posted the good news about Billie Sutton. I would have hoped that you knew Cory well enough to understand that Hillary lost and so did Bernie, so why would those old days be of importance for the future of South Dakota and why would Cory even go down that road?
Mr. Nelson,
This may save you some time as you probably do not know how to access the SDDP.
The belief that medical care is a basic human right. We support universal access to
medical care and the expansion of Medicaid.
● The repeal of the death penalty.
● We believe every citizen deserves a secure, healthy and dignified retirement.
● A commitment to ensure that every child has access to a first-class public education.
● Every woman should be paid the same as a man for the same work.
● Every woman has the right to make her own medical decisions.
● The right to bear arms is an important part of our heritage subject to reasonable
restrictions.
● Full funding and strong enforcement of laws dealing with human trafficking.
Pretty cool huh? Yep, that there is something that makes sense. You will note that what the SDDP platform really is about is the complete support of all of the Amendments to the Constitution. Me, I kinda like that as it does not get confused with just one or two, it is the whole basket. These are Billie Sutton’s approach to a new beginning in South Dakota, oh, and did it become clear that corruption would not be tolerated by his administration either? If not, listen to it again.
Excellent. Any rancher knows that if a cow aborts a calf, the whole year is wasted. but of course women do more than have kids.
Good point, Vance. No matter how Sutton positions himself to neutralize those hot-button issues and focus on the practical, compromise-demanding policy-making that he has focused on in Pierre, his Republican opponents will keep trying to drag him back to their preferred absolutes and litmus tests.
Joe, Clinton vs. Sanders has little if anything to do with my 2018 choices. The 2016 Democratic primary was done a year ago. Anyone still rehashing Clinton/Sanders or Clinton/Trump is missing the real battles we need to prioritize right now.
As Jerry notes, I went on from the primary and made nice with all sorts of people who voted for Clinton. As a Sanders Democrat, I can still get closer to achieving my agenda in Pierre if a Clinton Democrat occupies the Governor’s office instead of a Trump Republican.
And I think we can all get closer to achieving a South Dakota agenda if we pick someone other than a Trump Republican as Governor. And Trump Republicans are all the Trump-friendly Lederman SDGOP will offer.
I really appreciate Billie Sutton. He could use a little more energy when speaking in front of an audience (for my taste) but all-in-all, I hope we’re all so lucky, or blessed, to have him govern our state.
He’s got plenty of time to be publicly critical of the Republican stranglehold on South Dakota politics. As long as he can do it with poise but also with serious passion, when it really counts, pretty soon here, I think that’s what it’ll take.
I think he has a better chance against Kristi Noem. So, now, I am pumping for Kristi “I worked half as much as everyone else in the U.S. Congress” Noem – in the R primary. Hopefully she spends her campaign war chest against Marty Jackley and winds up broke by the time she faces Billie. Oh to dream [sometimes you gotta do that].
Adam, no prominent Democrat delivers a speech with the energy you and I want. I delivered a speech with that energy at convention last year and was told by an experienced Democrat that all that energy is too much for some of the folks in the back.
I’ve never heard anyone EVER say that Steve Jarding has too much energy, and I am pretty sure everyone knows that he brings more to every speaking engagement than anyone else in the history of South Dakota – accept perhaps the great George McGovern. I think SD Democrats need to take a lesson from the book of Jarding – which in a lot of ways is also the book of McGovern.
He’s seen what works and what doesn’t; I think Billie Sutton will find his way in that direction – in time.
Adam I have a feeling Billie Sutton will be just fine for South Dakota in regards to his speaking style. Remember he has been in the Legislature for a number of years and had exposure being on the Rodeo circuit. He seems laid back, humble, non threatening in a low key way which I feel make South Dakotans more comfortable.
Billie Sutton is not the type to wave his arms all around, be obnoxious and abrasive, arrogant with talking down being a liberal that would seem more at home in Minneapolis/St. Paul or Portland. Billie will should do well here in South Dakota.
[Miranda, I thought you said you were done with this blog. If you’re coming around just to wage war on me personally again, you can go jump in a lake. Your obnoxious and abrasive talkings-down serve no useful public purpose. I say that without minimal arm movement.]
Adam, where is Steve Jarding? Does he figure in this political landscape anymore?
Cory relax! Just because I supported Al Novstrup and felt he was the better candidate for District 3 you don’t need to take it personally. Please keep this on topic. I am talking about how Billie Sutton’s communication skills and they way he comes across which are a big plus for South Dakotans regardless of which side of the river you reside.
[Specious argument and dodging the full intent of your words reflects poorly on your intellect and sincerity.]
If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them – maybe you can hire The A-Team.
The right people have access to Steve – if they try.