I won’t ramble about Hillary vs. Trump, that will just make my head spin, but some interesting things did happen last night locally in the primary races.
For the first time since she was elected 12 years ago, Minnehaha County Treasurer, Pam Nelson will have a challenger in November. Kris Swanson won the Republican nomination against Pam’s Nephew in-law, Marlin something or another, even though Marlin didn’t live in Minnehaha county.
Pam has proven to be an advocate her 12 years as treasurer for the low-income elderly trying to stay in their homes and not being over burdened with the atrocious property tax increases over the last decade. Pam will also help anyone else who needs it, Pam has a couple of rules though, follow the law and don’t lie to her.
Speaking of people who don’t seem to know what county they live in, Dick Kelly lost by 13 votes to Dean Karsky in the Republican primary for Minnehaha county commission. This means Dick will not be up for re-election this November. I could go on a monster rant about how it is time for Dick to retire, but I will let his fellow county commissioners tell you their feelings on that. Besides Dick suffering through a heart transplant and being hard of hearing, it seems his time has come. It is also rumored he spends a majority of his time in his retirement residence in rural Spink county and not his voter registration residence in Sioux Falls. Maybe it’s time to say good bye to Mr. Kelly, it’s just unfortunate that he may be replaced by Dean Karsky, the do nothing city councilor, who I will predict will do the same nothingness on the county commission. Dean and Jean Bender will be up against Democrats Feinstein and Rust in November. The top two vote getters when the two open commission seats.
And something I refrained from talking about until after the election was the battle royale in District 15 between democrats Nesiba and Kirschman (Nesiba won). The Democratic party in SD can hardly get enough people together to play a game of solitaire let alone two challengers in a the same district for a primary. Instead settling this over a cup of coffee and a donut and saving funds for a November run they decided to hack it out in a primary.
Don’t get me wrong, I like both guys. Patrick has been an advocate for labor, and Reynold has been a strong advocate against government corruption (Round’s airplane kerfuffle) and pay day lending.
But it wasn’t about their common threads that had these two at each other. It was about abortion and gay rights. Ironic really, considering neither of them could choose to have an abortion, or are gay.
Strange indeed.
I wish Nesiba luck in November.
It’s time for Kelly to retire. He’s been controversial at times but (generally) he’s been a valuable political element. Karsky is narrow minded and caters to the upper class while looking for subliminal favors. I don’t trust him but he can’t cause much damage posted with the county. I know and have great respect for Pam Nelson. In the present culture, she unselfishly represents the population. She’ll have no part of common usual political corruption. I’d like to see her in a city office assisting Stehly & Neizert with a return to democracy of, by, and for the people.
There’s no Republican or independent senate candidate in 15, so Reynold doesn’t have to worry about November.
He has no challenger he is the Seaantor he will be a fighter for labor .
I guess that explains the primary. See how much I care about what goes on in Pierre.
I do not believe Reynold has a Republican opponent and April 30th was the deadline to file as an Independent candidate for the District 15 state senate seat. So Reynold will be the next State Senator from 15, thus, his “luck” as already struck.
But I totally agree with SouthDacola’s assessment of this “battle royale” race. This race was a Cold War style proxy war between the pro choice and pro life forces within the Minnehaha and South Dakota Democratic Party as well as a literally classic medieval “Town and Gown” fight between the Party’s intelligentsia versus its fellow working class members; and a reality which seems academic at best (no pun intended) given the current non electability of most Democrats at this time throughout the state in most other more honest and or unattainable partisan races… But given that a year ago our Party’s leaders were far more interested in revising our State Party’s constitution then finding a candidate to challenge Senator Thune, why then should we be surprised about what played out in District 15 over the past few months?
Do not get me wrong, Reynold will make a great State Senator. He is articulate and smart, and I truly wish him the best, but if Amendment T passes next fall to create a non partisan committee to revise our legislative districts then the safeness for Democrats in 15 will be lost and should be.
If Amendment T passes. There is hope that a non partisan committee will draft a legislative districts map which would take the current strong Democratic demographics of District 15 and put these Democratic votes into the other legislative districts within Sioux Falls. In order, to make them more competitive and make the Democrats’ chances throughout the city and county more realistic.
So do not forget to vote for Amendment T next fall. So that we can strengthen the Democratic Party’s chances, end unnecessary Party “battle royale(s),” and to help allow the Party to function as a relevant political party and not merely an advanced version of Boys State or Girls State convened within the confines of District 15 or a Party constitutional revision committee meeting.
We would keep Kelly over Karsky in a heartbeat. Karsky even used his access to names and addresses as a councilor to solicit business for his other life. He never stood up for the people of NW Sioux Falls.
Karsky told a constituent once that the mayor told him he wasn’t supposed to talk to constituents about code enforcement issues or other property issues. A true representative of the people, that Deano.
Karsky has to live with himself. It’s punishment enough for his selfish disregard for public welfare.
I think the point is, that the money Nesiba and Kirschman spent against each other could have been used in trying to win 2 seats instead of one.