I saw that Sioux Falls paper’s tagline for Donna O’Connell’s letter to the editor—”Sutton’s ‘Moderate’ Views a Welcome Change“—and thought, “welcome change from what? Haven’t South Dakota Democrats offered ‘moderate’ views all along?”
That’s pretty much O’Connell’s point:
I believe Billie Sutton would bring the kind of thoughtful, moderate and honorable governing that would best serve South Dakotans. He doesn’t claim to hold the most conservative or the most liberal views. He hasn’t blindly espoused every proposal of President Donald Trump. He listens and asks; his answers reflect his sincere commitment to bettering the lives of all of us. It’s time for us to listen and ask, and then decide on the person we most want to work for us and for South Dakota. I strongly believe Billie Sutton is that person and that he deserves our vote for governor of South Dakota [Donna O’Connell, letter to the editor, that Sioux Falls paper, 2018.05.28].
Listening and asking, sincere commitment, working for everybody—that’s exactly the difference we Democrats offer to the current arrogant, self-serving one-party regime epitomized by its leader in the White House. South Dakota, it’s time to take us up on that offer.
I hope Democrats realize that this guy really does have a shot at leading our state as Governor. When it becomes a choice between Noem and Sutton, or the Kaiser discrimination dude and Sutton, the race will narrow.
Arguing that 40 years of Republican control is too much will get a receptive audience from those that can be moved. And Sutton’s comeback story is one that will resonate.
Watch and see.
Does anyone have thoughts on why Noem hasn’t hit Jackley harder on the DCI discrimination story? Or has she? I don’t watch too much TV. Sutton sure could hit him with it if he were to top Noem for the nomination.
She acts like she has the lead. Is she just holding her ammo to avoid ill will because she doesn’t feel she needs to use it now? I saw that betting odds still favor her substantially.
Jackley is very vulnerable on the DCI controversy. Its the Pierre “Good ‘Ol Boy” network revealed.
But if Noem thinks the Janklow/lawyer crowd is gonna get solidly behind a girl that beat their guy, I believe that she might want to….think again.
Tom Berry was the last Democratic west river cowboy to run things in Pierre. Berry was needed then as the Great Depression was destroying the lives of ag producers across this state. As an ag man himself, Tom Berry could listen and act as a moderate to make the improvements needed to get us out of the hole. As a west river cowboy, who happens to also be a moderate, Billie Sutton is needed now to be that steady hand. The news we are now finding, is that trump has screwed up the deal with China regarding trade once again. That means ag folks will be back to getting beaten up again. The losses that will come are going to not only be an economic shock to the ag producers, it will rattle the state as agriculture is one of our main pillars.
Like Tom Berry, I think Billie Sutton offers a steady hand that can get things done for our state by simply being moderate and listening to the problems we are facing and then doing something about them. We have needed the leadership like Billie Sutton can provide for some time now. I think it is more than crucial to get rid of the same kind of policy makers that have failed our state for decades and bring in fresh leadership to rid ourselves of the graft and corruption that his opponents will only make worse. Take a look around and ask yourselves if this is the best we can do. We can and must do better, Billie Sutton can put us on the right trail.
I hope y’all are right about Sutton winning. That would be great for SD.
Don’t forget to elect more Democrats to the state house too. You want to make it more difficult for the SDGOP to treat Sutton, if he should win, the way the NC GOP state legislature treated Northam when he became their Democratic governor last year. Remember? They tried to write several laws sharply limiting or reducing his power as governor and they were successful with some of them. It was a very shameful move against the will of the people, but “shameful” seems to aptly describe the GOP of the 21st century.
That point bears repeating in every discussion of November 6 in South Dakota: A Sutton victory is important, but it will make a far greater difference if it’s backed with a n expanded Democratic caucus that can uphold Sutton’s vetoes.