November 2020

Survey: Nielson Brothers Polling (NBP) Statewide Survey, October 24-28, 2020

For immediate release:

Date: 11/1/2020

Subject: South Dakota General Election Races and Ballot Measures

Contact information:  nbpolling@gmail.com

NIELSON BROTHERS POLLING HALLOWEEN WEEK POLITICAL SURVEY RESULTS

NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE RACES

In the recent Nielson Brothers Survey (October 24-28), Republicans hold leads in the major political races surveyed by NBP among likely South Dakota voters.

In the race for president, Republican Donald Trump leads Democrat Joe Biden, 55 percent* to 40 percent, with Libertarian Jo Jorgensen at 3 percent, with 2 percent undecided.

In the South Dakota US Senate race, incumbent Republican Mike Rounds leads Democratic challenger Dan Ahlers, 56 percent to 39 percent, with the remainder undecided..

The Republican incumbent is also ahead in the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission race. Gary Hanson leads Democrat Remi Bald Eagle and Libertarian Devin Saxon, with 50 percent for Hanson, 30 percent for Bald Eagle and 10 percent for Saxon, with 10 percent undecided.

Respondents were also asked whether the United States is going in the right or wrong direction. 36 percent said “right direction,” 46 percent “wrong direction” and 18 percent undecided. 

BALLOT MEASURES

Initiated Measure 26 (legalizes medical marijuana for qualifying patients including minors) has support from 57 percent of respondents and is opposed by 33 percent, with 9 percent undecided. 

Amendment A (legalizes possession, use, transport and distribution of marijuana by twenty one year olds and older) has support from 48 percent of respondents and is opposed by 45 percent with 8 percent undecided. 

Amendment B (authorizes the Legislature to allow sports wagering in Deadwood) has 43 percent of respondents supporting it and 38 percent opposing it, with 19 percent undecided.

OTHER ISSUES

NBP asked: “If the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act also known as Obama Care comes before the Supreme Court do you want it upheld or repealed?” 47 percent want it repealed, with 39 percent want it upheld, and 14 percent undecided.

Finally, NBP asked:  “Of the last four US presidents which would you rate as the best?” Donald Trump leads with 45 percent calling him the best of the last four presidents. Barack Obama comes in second with 33 percent. George W. Bush is third with 14 percent, and William Clinton is fourth with 9 percent. 

QUESTIONS, ANSWERS (% ROUNDED), RESPONSE NUMBERS,MARGINS OF ERROR

Is South Dakota going in the right or wrong direction?

Right direction 36%

Wrong direction 46

Undecided 18

484 responses,  4.45 percent margin of error

For US President would you vote for Republican Donald Trump, Libertarian Jo Jorgensen, or Democrat Joe Biden?

Trump 55%

Jorgensen   3

Biden 40

Undecided   2

484 responses,  4.45 percent margin of error

For US Senate would you vote for Republican Mike Rounds or Democrat Dan Ahlers?

Rounds 56%

Ahlers 39

Undecided   5

479 responses,  4.48 percent margin of error

For Public Utilities Commissioner would you vote for Republican Gary Hanson, Libertarian Devin Saxon, or Democrat Remi Bald Eagle?

Hanson 50%

Saxon 10

Bald Eagle 30

Undecided 10

469 responses, 4.52  percent margin of error

Initiated Measure 26 would legalize medical marijuana for qualifying patients including minors. It legalizes marijuana testing manufacturing and cultivation facilities, and dispensaries. How do you plan to vote? 

For 57%

Against 33

Undecided   9

462 responses, 4.61 percent margin of error

Constitutional Amendment A legalizes possession, use, transport, and distribution of marijuana by twenty one year olds and older.  It imposes a 15 percent tax on marijuana to cover regulatory costs with the remainder going to public schools and the State’s general fund. How do you plan to vote?

For 48%

Against 45

Undecided   8

455 responses, 4.59.  percent margin of error

Constitutional Amendment B authorizes the Legislature to allow sports wagering in Deadwood. How do you plan to vote?

For 43%

Against 38

Undecided 19

447 responses, 4.63  percent margin of error

If the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act also known as Obama Care comes before the Supreme Court do you want it upheld or repealed?

Upheld 39%

Repealed 47

Undecided 14

440 responses, 4.67  percent margin of error

Of the last four US presidents which would you rate as the best?” 

Donald Trump 45%

Barack Obama 33

George W. Bush 14

William Clinton   9

367 responses, 5.11  percent margin of error

NBP surveyed a random selection of South Dakota registered voters October 24-28, 2020. 

For more information contact NBP at nbpolling@gmail.com.

*Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Mayor TenHaken reveals his hypocrisy in Covid presser

Paul, we have to close the beaches!

Most would feel bad for a mayor who lacks leadership, but it is kind of hard when he is a big fat hypocrite, as I have pointed out several times.

Today at the Covid presser when asked what he has done to control the spread he got mad and I think he even started sniffling a bit, he basically claimed he can’t control the habits of 200K people in a city that is 80 square miles. I would partially agree with him, but when he said he could not control the 500K that live in the region, I would have to disagree a bit.

Remember, this mayor with the assistance of the CVB and City Council thought it was a great idea to spend $250K of our taxdollars on promoting Covid tourism in the city. On top of that, the ad firm that got the contract to promote this tourism was none other than his former(?) agency ClickRain.

Now I am willing to give Mayor Stoneless a little rope on how much of this is his responsibility, but when you are out promoting tourism in our city (to the region) while spending OUR money that you are handing over to your friends, you kind of wonder what you are using the rope for? Maybe you need to use it to pull your hypocritical head out of your butt.

Yes, Paul, not only have you not led this city during this pandemic you have wasted our taxdollars to make it worse.

How incredibly idiotic to promote tourism in the middle of a deadly pandemic. And you are not sure what you can do to influence people to not be selfish? Like your former ad agency? Or the CVB? Or the people who want to come visit Sioux Falls from neighboring states because YOU asked them to?

Maybe we should have used the $250K to hire a city manager that understands leadership.

Augustana to do another Housing Study

This is in the consent agenda of the SF City Council on Tuesday Night

I can’t believe it has been 4 years since Augie put out their study. Once the study is completed in 2021 I have no doubt that the actual numbers of people needing housing will have gone up, but I also believe the percentages will have gone up also. I still don’t know what our community has done in the past 4 years that encouraged more and better affordable housing. I may be proven wrong, but I don’t think this report is going to be any rosier. Now, I don’t want to get all negative nancy about it. There are sectors of our community that or doing well, but like the last study pointed out, there is a significant wealth gap, and I think it will be even wider.

There is something else I am going to call the ‘Amazon’ factor. I have NO doubt that they will have to draw in workers not only from the region but from across the country to get enough. Some have been curious why our local elected officials haven’t been standing on soap boxes bragging about it. I will tell you why, because they know about the low wages Amazon pays and what kind of worker this will attract. Hard to brag about bringing business to Sioux Falls when that business pays the same as fast food. I actually believe that bringing Amazon here will create more social ills for our community. I don’t think our local or state officials had a choice in the matter, let’s face it, it’s Amazon, they will do what they want to. There was no carrot on the end of a stick leading them here, it was logistics.

I am also curious if the city is the only entity funding this study? Any non-profits? The counties? The school district?

Sioux Falls CountCilor Alex Jensen thinks the city council isn’t a legislative body

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0aen_8yooY

Madeline Shields asks a pretty basic question, “People are always intimidated about running for public office . . . what is it that you hope to learn more about?”

Jensen’s answer, “The legislature compared to the city council are two very, very different things.”

Well, they are not. But we will get to that in moment.

Ironically Jensen ran on his ‘legislative experience.’ He told voters that as many times as he could. Also, the city council is the ‘legislative body’ they are the ones that (should) be making the ordinances, creating the yearly budget, etc. That duty has been robbed by the Mayor’s office (starting with Munson) and has gotten progressively worse. In fact, by charter (which I’m sure Jensen has never read) the city council specific duties is legislating, while the mayor’s duties are running the city as the city manager. By not legislating on the city council, you are effectively derelict in your duties.

Somebody asked me once if the council is not legislating, what are they doing? Well besides approving some beer licenses, they show up every Tuesday to Rubberstamp the Mayor’s agenda and Mayor’s budget while raising taxes and fees on the rest of us and handing out goodies to the banksters, contractors and welfare queen developers in town. That’s not legislating, that’s rewarding the folks who fund your campaigns. Don’t believe me, it cost Jensen $117,000.000 to beat Stehly by less than a 100 votes. Do you think this money came from his pocket? I can almost guarantee you that 99.9999% of city voters have NEVER given a penny to a council or mayoral race. So where does this money come from? The people who show up every week to rob the cookie jar, and after Tuesday’s meeting, they will now be at the front of the line.

Jensen is right, the council isn’t a legislative body anymore and they should be brought up on ethics violations for not following their duties as prescribed by the charter. Folks, that may just happen. As John Lee Hooker said in a song once, “Pot’s on, gas on high, we are cooking.” The council isn’t going to like what’s for dinner when we are done.