Speaking of campaign finance, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Billie Sutton hasn’t filed his pre-general report yet for income and expenditures from May 17 through October 17 (that’s due tomorrow, 5 p.m. Central!), but he has filed a supplemental report for donations over $500 received on October 18 and 19. State law requires that candidates report any donations of $500 or more from October 18 until Election Day within 48 hours.
In those two days, Sutton received 52 such contributions, totaling $61,300. That’s over $30K per day, and that’s not counting small donations under $500. If Sutton can sustain that final-push rate, he could raise just shy of a half-million dollars by Election Day. A half-million dollars could rent a lot of buses to bring voters to the polls on November 6.
Sutton’s Republican opponent, Kristi Noem, has posted four supplemental reports. One simply shows a transfer of $15,800 from her running mate Larry Rhoden’s law-breaking campaign checkbook. One form shows contributions from October 17, which are supposed to go on the pre-general report. The other two show 30 contributions on October 19 (and none on October 18) totaling $32,000.
These documents show that on Thursday and Friday, Democrat Billie Sutton raised 92% more money from 22 more big donors than Republican Kristi Noem.
Three of Noem’s big donations Friday came from out-of-state PACs: BNSF Rail PAC, Mike Huckabee’s PAC, and Altria PAC kicked in $7,500, 23% of her take. Sutton had five big out-of-state donors: Mary Pritzker of Chicago, Steve Veverka of St. Paul, John Dawson of Palo Alto, Paul Norman of Wisconsin, and the Plumbers and Pipefitters PAC of Bismarck, totaling $11,500, 19% of Sutton’s take.
Noem may have supp’d her October 17 numbers just to tweak Sutton early: the first name listed on that sheet is Senator Ryan Maher, who is doing penance for hosting his fellow Cowboy Caucuser Sutton at an Eagle Butte fundraiser by giving Noem $750. Her October 17 haul also consisted of $17,500 in out-of-state money, including $2,500 from an Oklahoma coal PAC. Those out-of-state donations made up 58% of Noem’s big donations on October 17.
Among Sutton’s big last-push backers are Republican Anne Hajek of Sioux Falls (recently appointed by Marty Jackley to the Board of Pardons and Paroles), Deanna Knudson (who like her husband David supported Jackley’s gubernatorial campaign), and Mike Huether (whose dinged Dems and teased a run for Governor).
A half-million dollars could rent a lot of buses to bring voters to the polls on November 6.
I can see SD state patrol stopping all the buses and accusing Dems of being blacks and forcing them to prove they aren’t black before letting them vote.
Wingnuts have tried and partially succeeded messing up voting for minorities and Dems all over the country. What could they be afraid of in a totally red (neck) state?
Wait, what was that last one? Outside money? I’ve seen some Billie’s supporters online peddling that concern. In case those Billie smokescreeners missed Billie’s big fundraiser in in out of state money.
Certainly you are investigating the ballot implications and options ahead regarding the Oct 20 passing of beloved Chuck Turbiville, R-31, Deadwood mayor. RIP.
OS, if you know of a fundraiser that Billie attended out of state, like the one Kristi attended in Minneapolis last November, please provide evidence here.
John, I’ll get there, but I assume the immediate upshot is that District 31 will continue to vote as normal, with a dead man’s name on the ballot, and if the dead man wins, the governor will get to appoint a replacement. But note: if Governor Daugaard appoints a replacement, that replacement is only good until the end of the 2018 term. The next governor appoints the replacement for Turbiville in 2019 when Session begins.
So if we as Democrats sat back and enjoyed watching Noem attack Jackley on corruption last spring, then comes the fall and Jackley refugees are hanging out in the Sutton camp, then what as Democrats do we have to gain or offer, when it comes to real change, transparency, and an end to the South Dakota good old boy network?
I realize that an enemy’s enemy is your friend, but the true enemy of the people of South Dakota is the good old boy network and not the mere absence of a victory in name only….
#Co-Opted?
How can a dead man win? The deceased may carry more votes, but a deceased cannot “win”, cannot hold office, take an oath, hold property, etc. If it’s not written into law to suspend reality and common sense – a vote for the deceased should be a nullity. If not written into law, and the appointment stunt is tried, the demos should take it to court. Good luck with the investigation, and thanks for your blog.
Billie is getting more national attention in the last couple days too. The New York Times and CNN have had stories out in the last day or so. It’s becoming a race to watch. And maybe it’ll mean even more contributions for Billie.
He may need that money to respond to all of Noem’s false attacks. Honestly, I cannot recall another South Dakota campaign that was as dishonest as Kristi’s. I was a Republican most of my life and recently became an Independent…. but I find it disturbing.
So Noem got $ from the Huckster, misbegotten sire of the 2nd biggest liar in the USA, and Big Tobacco? Makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.
BTW Cory, outstanding mirror image. 😁
Trump spent half as much money as Hillary but still won, something to be learned there. The Repubs called me asking if I had decided on who I would vote for since I am a registered Republican told em it was a private decision voted for Sutton early so don’t blame me if you lose – again.
Just saw the bern and hill attack ad on Sutton by his opponent
It doesn’t get any lower than that
Adding a fake cowboy hat at the end
Is tasteless
“something to be learned there” Trump cheated! That’s what we’ll learn.
NOem’s got nothing, which says a lot about her. Only negative attack ads like water off a duck’s arse.
T posted:
Just saw the bern and hill attack ad on Sutton by his opponent
It doesn’t get any lower than that
T, are you dumb?
How is it low to post a video of a candidate speaking?
Jason
Cowboy creed you obviously know nothing about
Not to mention the lies in the attack ad
I’ll try not to talk above you next time
To avoid you from having your proverbial keyboard finger dance
It is not low to post a video of your opponent speaking.
(Staring out window at jason trying to play with a ball while I Marvel how modern day Medicine gives the boy a seemingly healthy life😉)
Poor T has no adult response so he has to act like a child.
A heavy majority of South Dakotans are against every policy Bernie has ever spoken or written.
This ad put the nail in the coffin for Sutton.
Something else to be learned from wingnut cheating in 2016- In results that are still preliminary, 45.2 million Americans cast a vote for a Democratic Senate candidate, while 39.3 million Americans voted for a Republican. (In the White House race, as of Thursday afternoon, Clinton had 60.1 million votes and Trump had 59.8 million.
Dems received 6 million more votes for Senators and still lost to cheating wingnuts.
Jimmy, there are better things on the other side of town. Watch that Crosstown Traffic!