I changed my registration from Dem to Indy when Daschle voted for the Iraq War and have not returned. At the time, there was gobs of evidence that the WMD claims were a ruse, and Tommy Boy certainly knew that, and I told a friend, “I guess the Dem party doesn’t believe in diplomacy anymore, so I’m leaving them until they do.”
Fast forward last week when Pete came to South Dakota but seemed to skip a public event in the state’s largest city.
While the media was clueless as usual and I’m sure no one in city government was going to do a photo op with a Biden appointee I still had some hope that the South Dakota Dem party would do a public event.
Rumor has it they had the event, it just wasn’t public.
Some Sioux Falls Democratic legislators decided to throw a private party with Buttigieg. So not only was the public NOT invited, many Dem loyalists from across the state were also not invited.
I saw some selfies on FB with Pete at a popular DTSF hotel bar and was wondering how this event came about.
The ‘rumor’ is the SD Dem party left it up to a certain SF legislator to plan any events around Pete’s visit, inviting the public and other Dem party reps.
She decided to have a private party instead, you know, because that builds party support in a state that is 90% RED!!!!!!!!
You know, you are called the ‘Big Tent Party’ and if you want to work on the recruitment numbers, that haven’t been positive in years, when prominent, respected, Dems come to town, you use them as a recruitment tool not a book end at your cocktail party.
I don’t think things could get much worse for the party, even if TenHaken was running it.
Who were the special elite Democrats that attended this invitation only SDDP Wine and Cheese event with the transportation Secretary? I like Pete and believe he is doing a great job! Was it a fundraiser? Another missed opportunity and this could of been a prime opportunity too.
The big event was merely a black SUV parade to/from the river. Yesterday But-when-you-bitch got in trouble with congress over misappropriated transportation spending. He didn’t go to Pierre because this is the only state with the nearest interstate 50 miles south. You can’t get there without horses.
Thanks you for this blog piece!!! My suspicions have been answered. It sounds like this is the same clique of Democrats who recently overthrew the State Party chair as well. It’s also most likely the same clique that made sure Districts 15 and 10 were soundly competitive for Democrats in the last redistricting process, when they should have asked for 8 and not 10 districts in Sioux Falls (Thus, separating urban and rural voters), which would have then opened up competitiveness for the two major parties in this town from 2 to 5 districts instead, but we can’t do that, can we? Because then 15 and 10 wouldn’t be a sure thing. But opening it up to 5 would have been healthy for the two party system and for the Democratic Party, and especially in Minnehaha County…. I’m afraid it’s a Party that’s eating at itself. Although, obviously many are no longer invited to eat at their events.
The SDDP is no longer a state party, but rather a city-state party with enclaves in Districts 10 and 15, and the Reservation districts only, I’m afraid. And this reality only speaks further to the growing parochial monastery qualities of Democratic leadership in this state, which this recent Buttigieg event only further illustrates.
Keep in mind, that the SDDP elected a new chair in April with 94% of the vote and then by August she was ousted by unanimous vote. My only question is: What the hell is really going on? Well, I have my suspicions, I believe it’s a battle between what I’ll call urban feminists versus rural feminists and especially involving gay and transgender rights, but I could be wrong. If, this is the real reason for the divide. Its roots, or ruts, I would allege go as far back as to the days when the Kennedy/McGovern forces in the SDDP were at odds with Humphrey Democrats in this state, which was pretty much an urban versus rural divide as well and over a single issue, which was Vietnam. And, although, I’m a strong believer in gay and transgender rights, and consider myself to be a male feminist, a party cannot survive or grow if it has a litmus test which is limited to a single issue or very few issues. Because the SDDP will never be relevant again in South Dakota until it’s welcoming and willing to become a full service party again when it comes to an interest in advocating issues and not an issue.
Also, it also looks as though the SDDP is in hot water with the FEC once again and this problem goes back to Randy’s tenure and not just to Jennifer’s, who was ousted in August:
https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/505/202308280300191505/202308280300191505.pdf
“Say, can a person, group, or Party file for what I would call political or philosophical bankruptcy?”…
I’m more of a beer and Braunschweiger Democrat myself. #PBRMe
Hawks only lasted six months as chair and now Jennifer only four. Randy’s tenure of 3 and a half years was like a holding pattern, or an eye of the storm to an eventual reality or return to reality. The Party is beginning to remind me more of an Italian parliamentary coalition government given its frequency of change…. Just how many governments have the Italians had since WWII? #IMissMussolini
The party is shrinking into more of an exclusive club. City-State sounds about right VSG and the rest of us are in the sticks with the hicks or are we the hicks? Their actions are increasingly self defeating rather than defeating these radical extremist Republicans or those that run as Republicans. People here in the sticks are getting real sick and tired of Pierre and looking for alternatives. Run as Unaffiliated? It is better than nothing!
It might be the only answer, especially in 10 and 15. Have Democrats run in those districts as Independents to then throw the races to the Republican candidates. I’m not sure how much cooperation you would get from the Reservations on this one, but it would be nice to have full cooperation from some within all of the city-state enclaves that still exist for Democrats in South Dakota.
I hate to be the one who claims we must destroy ourselves to save ourselves, but this current reality is the not the answer and is itself a cannibalistic strategy. Although, those who have designed it, will never admit it.
Another problem with the current state of the SDDP is that too many people are involved in it, especially from rural areas, who are stagnant leaders, who have been at the helm too long with no new faces to be found, while others spend all of their time and talent trying to acquire and control titles within the Party, but when they then get in power they do not know what to do with this power other than to just continue to craft a strategy to try to stay in power.
Also, Party leadership in this state with the Dems has become nothing more than an opportunity for some to be able to run off to DNC meetings in DC so they can get a selfie with Biden, or the national chairperson, or in this case, at the local level with Buttigieg. It has become, literally in someways, nothing but a power trip with no substance.
“It has become, literally in someways, nothing but a power trip with no substance.”
I think I’m ‘burning hot’ close when I guess that “a certain SF legislator” referenced in the post is the same one who began referring to herself as “State Representative Elect” … after the date of the Primary elections and prior to the date the General election in Nov.
Talk about a power trip with no substance.
As a young Democrat and business owner here in South Dakota this is absolutely absurd. This could have been a huge opportunity for the party as a whole, but once again the Sioux Falls Elite Democrats (SFED) continue to alienate everyone that’s not in their inner circle.
The public was not invited, the state party leadership was not invited, the Young Democrats of South Dakota (YDSD) weren’t invited, the College Democrats of South Dakota(CDSD) weren’t invited. But, personal friends were invited so it’s ok, according to them.
The elected officials on the left in this state literally only care about their people when it comes to election time. In the off time, its events like this they organize privately with zero public attendance. Why? Oh, because it looks good for them to post photos on social media so when it’s time to be re-elected, they can use it to get votes.
The SDDP has completely forgotten about its people, the 11 elected Democrats in Pierre have completely forgotten about its people and their party. More so, the SDDP and Legislators have forgotten about all the rural democrats AND republicans across this state.
The Sioux Falls Elite Democrats (SFED) is a real thing. I had slight respect for them because they are elected officials. But after this stunt, the little respect I had went out the window.
Even though I’m a Democrat, you can bet your a** I’m going to vote for a GOP candidate in my district in 2024 and not for one of these clowns ever again.
The cry democrats in this state make all the time:
“How do we get people involved in the party?”
My answer: Start inviting people and stop alienating them. Its simple.
Okay, so we are definitely running AKA as an Independent in 10 or 15. Now, we just need five more Dems to run as Independents in 10 and 15…. Who’s next?