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KSFY: Jamie Smith to Challenge Noem for Governor

Barry Hulse has both a pulse and a competitor. KSFY’s ambitious newshound Austin Goss reports that House Minority Leader Jamie Smith (D-15/Sioux Falls) will run for Governor:

Smith declined to comment on his upcoming candidacy, but an announcement is expected in a matter of days.

“South Dakotans should tune in Tuesday for an exciting announcement,” said South Dakota Democratic Party Executive Director Berk Ehrmantraut [Austin Goss, “Sources: Democratic Minority Leader to Make Run at Governorship,” KSFY, 2022.01.30].

Following Senate Minority Leader Troy Heinert’s decision to round up buffalo rather than voters, Smith is the highest-ranking elected leader Democrats have available to sic on Governor Kristi Noem.

Smith’s candidacy for Governor would leave a gap in the all Demcoratic District 15 Legislative delegation, which may be filled nicely by the young, energetic, and well-endorsed Democratic House candidate Kadyn Wittman.

39 Comments

  1. larry kurtz 2022-01-30 17:42

    Who pays for the primary?

  2. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2022-01-30 17:53

    Taxpayers pay for the primary as a favor to the two-party system. Why do you ask?

  3. larry kurtz 2022-01-30 18:01

    The SDDP has no burden of cost at all?

  4. larry kurtz 2022-01-30 18:08

    The Libertarians aren’t part of South Dakota’s two party system?

  5. Imperial 2022-01-30 22:23

    This is the best news I’ve heard in a very long time! It brings hope to so many citizens of South Dakota. It’s about time we abolish the greed & corruption in our political system & hold the ones accountable for the abuse of power they generally abide. Now about this cybersecurity business? Do you really think Russia is going to allow this? You watch!

  6. ABC 2022-01-31 10:06

    Look at the 1974 election–to win by 20,000 votes, as Kneip did, you need to:

    WIN all the counties from Chamberlain to Sioux Falls !

    Win the I-29 corridor– Roberts County down to Union County (8 counties)

    Win Rapid City-Pennington County, Kneip won this by 4,000 votes there!

    Win Aberdeen, Day county and more East River counties!

    That is a 20,000 vote margin.

    Smith might have the SPIRIT to do it. Billie Sutton certainly does!

    But can the Democratic Party AWAKEN, change leadership, and really do the job ????

    Look at the history since November 1978…

  7. Mark Anderson 2022-01-31 14:15

    The Republican party is showing what always happens in one party rule, no transparency and corruption. Eventually even the party faithful won’t vote for them. The Democratic party has to be ready for that. It’s voters have to vote and not expect Republican votes.

  8. Mark Anderson 2022-01-31 15:13

    Here’s a great quote from that great equalizer Harry Truman: “Once a government is committed to the principal of silencing the voice of the opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is going down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.” I stole the quote from a Utah Kerry Wayne. As was the transparency(not tranzparency) and corruption idea. Sorry. The transzparency is all mine.

  9. 96Tears 2022-01-31 16:48

    Now for Smith to find an attorney with muscle and a winning courtroom profile to announce immediately for Attorney General.

    That leaves Kristi Noem and Jason Ravnsborg to lead their statehouse ticket to state convention and probably beyond. They are each other’s kryptonite.

  10. Bob Newland 2022-01-31 17:34

    He won’t win without addressing hisself as “James,” or at least “Jim.” Nobody north of Alabama wants a gubberner named “Jamie.”

  11. Curt 2022-01-31 21:18

    Assuming there will be a primary is quite premature. Any candidate attempting to qualify for even a primary election ballot must file petitions with the requisite number of valid signatures from qualified voters. It’s too high a bar to assume.

  12. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2022-02-01 05:22

    Larry, no, the Libertarians are not part of any system. They barely have a system of their own.

  13. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2022-02-01 05:23

    Indeed, as Curt says, until we see valid petitions, we’ve got no contest.

  14. Curt 2022-02-01 17:14

    I predict Mr Smith will attain the signature requirement. Inauguration – is that too much to hope for?

  15. grudznick 2022-02-01 17:40

    What’s that other fellow’s name? The one that Mr. Smith is trying to primary? I will have to read the position papers from each before picking a side. grudznick decides by positions on key issues, but golly if I were to decide by looks alone this young Mr. Smith fellow looks like a gravy-in-the-beard sort of man to me.

  16. Guy 2022-02-01 18:01

    Smith-Hulse 2022???

  17. Guy 2022-02-01 18:03

    Smith, Hulse…at this point I would vote for one of Custer State Park’s “Begging Burros” to be Governor over Kristi Noem!

  18. Guy 2022-02-01 18:09

    I can NOT believe Billie Sutton is not going to run again?!? Last election was very, very, very close by 11,000 votes! Billie: YOU CAN DEFEAT KRISTI NOEM this time…please. RECONSIDER…you got until March. Billie: RUN!!!

  19. larry kurtz 2022-02-01 18:18

    Billie Sutton is a fart in a haboob who sells sympathy for me but not for thee -3 the women of South Dakota.

  20. Guy 2022-02-01 18:31

    Larry, I do not know what happened to South Dakota. This state use to be more well-grounded in choosing its leaders. Today we fall for fairy tales and beauty queens. I’ve heard from several guys in the Black Hills: “Our Governor is hot!!” like that’s all that matters?!? I’m sick and tired of it. I’m also sick and tired of griping about. It’s as if there is no hope against Noem and the fairy tales, but more and more frustration.

  21. Guy 2022-02-01 18:47

    Larry, I do not think Noem is hot at all. I think she puts on this phony facade to “appear beautiful,” without any substantive leadership to meet the needs of working constituents. It’s just a bunch of shiny, unsubstantiated crap…z fairy tale.

  22. larry kurtz 2022-02-01 19:01

    None of this is rocket science.

    Mrs. Noem’s psychological detritus includes the death of her father, her marriage and motherhood resulting in disqualification from the beauty contests dominated by her rivals, Shantel Swedlund and Sara Frankenfeldstein to become a political pole dancer where men like Denny Sanford, Frank Farrar and others put Franklins into her g-string.

  23. Guy 2022-02-01 19:05

    Larry: ?!?!? Huh????

  24. larry kurtz 2022-02-01 19:11

    Frank Farrar was the architect of South Dakota’s dynasty trust industry. Bill Janklow put it into law then Denny Sanford and Dana Dickhouse Dykwhatever bought the rights and sailed into the sunset. Mrs. Noem is simply the Ghislane Maxwell of South Dakota.

  25. Guy 2022-02-01 19:17

    Larry, is there A SUCCESSFUL WAY that Jamie Smith, Billie Sutton, and/or we working class voters can ACTUALLY MOBILIZE & POLITICALLY DEFEAT these corrupt powers that be in South Dakota today? Larry, your thoughts on what it would actually and realistically take to accomplish that?

  26. larry kurtz 2022-02-01 19:20

    As a veteran of South Dakota politics it’s safe to say that unless a principled conservative with some financial resources gets into the general election as an unaffiliated candidate Mr. Smith will go down in flames like Susan Wismer did against Denny Daugaard.

  27. grudznick 2022-02-01 19:21

    Mr. Guy, the recipe is:

    1) don’t associate with out-of-state name-callers
    2) elaborate on your plans without being too libbie or tree hugger. A little is OK, but don’t be an over-hugger.
    3) pro-gun
    4) select grudznick as your Lt. Governor matey

  28. Guy 2022-02-01 19:26

    Grudz & Larry – that’s where I disagree. I lived off and on in this state 3 times and most working people in South Dakota I’ve associated with could careLESS about the “Conservative” or “Liberal” social warfare…it’s ABOUT ECONOMIC ISSUES affecting WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.

  29. grudznick 2022-02-01 19:34

    Then Ms. Noem wins, Guy.

  30. Guy 2022-02-01 19:46

    Grudz, how does Noem represent the working class?!? Noem represents the wealthy business interests.

  31. grudznick 2022-02-01 19:55

    She dominates the economic issues, even if the working class can’t understand how much better off they are because of it.
    She loves all South Dakotans, not just the working class.

  32. Porter Lansing 2022-02-01 20:08

    What changes could a Democratic Governor mean for the working class in South Dakota?
    SD belongs to people like grudznichts.
    Veto overrides would be as common as ground blizzards.
    It’s OK, though.
    America needs rural, red states like a stew needs celery.
    It’s bitter on its own but adds to the flavor contrast.

  33. Guy 2022-02-01 20:09

    Grudz: Socialism for Noem (Agricultural Subsidies, COVID Relief for her family’s ranch) and NO Socialism benefits for everyone else is like Nicolae Ceausescu telling the Romanian people social benefits are good for everyone, except he takes most of those taxpayer benefits for himself. Everything was ABOUT CEAUSESCU. Well the Romanian people were starving while he was building the world’s largest governmental palace. Like Ceausescu, Kristi Noem wants to spend our money on herself and her pet projects: shooting ranges, Indoor Rodeo Arena, and saunas and Persian rugs for the Governor’s Palace, her own TV studio but she doesn’t want to offer money to pay to help the unemployed and to pay for affordable housing for more of the citizens of South Dakota. Like Nicolae Ceausescu, all the money and attention has to be on her. Once again Grudz, how is Noem for the working class and the citizens of South Dakota instead of herself???

  34. grudznick 2022-02-01 20:28

    Sometimes your ma probably made you do things you didn’t like, but it was because she knew it would be good for you.
    Ms. Noem cutting the extra freeloader money to make people go back to work was good for them. They need to get out and work harder, and in the long run they will be better off than if they just sat at home watching the tee vee and sucking on cigs, as some are wont to do.

  35. Guy 2022-02-01 20:37

    Grudz, by YOUR logic, than Kristi needs to give all her agricultural subsidy money back to, we, the taxpayers and she needs to refund all the taxpayer luxuries and perks she has lived on all these years. Kristi should STOP LIVING OFF THE TAXPAYER. Right, Grudz?

  36. Guy 2022-02-01 20:39

    Grudz, by YOUR logic, Kristi Noem is a: “FREE LOADER,” and I’m tired of helping to bankroll her lifestyle off my dime.

  37. cibvet 2022-02-01 23:34

    Grutz and noem have both encountered the benefit of “freeloader money, grutz’s words”. Wealthy, cold blooded non-vertebrate
    will to den up like rattle snakes and strike when your not looking. Poor people don’t have a chance as they are working to make a living
    instead of milking the system.(subsidies).

  38. Guy 2022-02-02 14:24

    Cory, I finally watched Jamie’s speech. My first gut-feeling is that I believe Jamie has a viable opportunity to defeat Kristi Noem. Time will tell if Mr. Smith can gain enough Independent support to win the election in November. From viewing the speech, Jamie was successfully reminding the electorate about the selfish and corrupt issues surrounding Kristi without coming off as stuffy and judgmental. In that speech, Jamie came-off to me as some common joe that I could relate too who just wants to work with everyone to successfully meet the needs of South Dakota’s citizens. He was very down-to-earth and respectful in his tone and demeanor as the neighbor next door and not some high-falutin, beauty pageant and celebrity looking outside of our state for more attention and money. He came off pretty genuine and a solid candidate to me.

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