As I have reported in the past, the SD Democratic party got involved in municipal politics.
But before we dig into the article, I want to commend three people for coming forward;
• Ellis for working hard on this story for weeks to get it out in the mainstream media
• Ben Nesselhuf, chairman of the SD Democratic Party for finally being honest about their involvement (though I do not agree with it).
• Kyle Vanderlinden for telling his story;
In the weeks leading up to this year’s City Council elections, the top official with the South Dakota Democratic Party and Mayor Mike Huether met to discuss the four races.
The meeting lasted about 45 minutes. They talked about family, life and other topics. But they also addressed the upcoming campaigns.
The party was interested in helping Democratic candidates, a step in building the party and grooming candidates who, once successful on the local level, might have a shot at higher office. But first, Democratic Chairman Ben Nesselhuf wanted “to make sure we weren’t stepping on any toes†with the mayor.
Nesselhuf said the meeting was a “courtesy call†to ensure the party’s participation in the races was OK with Huether.
Also present at the meeting were Zach Crago, the party’s legislative director, and Darrin Smith, the city’s director of community development and public parking. The mayor gave the party his blessing.
You get the feeling from reading this first part that the Mayor has pull in the SD Democratic party, and my suspicions of a governor run are in his future. As for Darrin Smith, I wouldn’t take much political advice from a guy who couldn’t even finish his council term.
“I just don’t like to get involved in elections like that when they’re nonpartisan,†said Munson, a Republican. “And that’s the way it should be. In the position, you have to work with Republicans and Democrats.â€
Munson is right on one level, I don’t have a problem with the SD Democratic party supporting DEMOCRATS, but when they are throwing their weight behind someone who is a Republican, that’s a NO-NO, and I HOPE they learned a lesson, Knudson got her butt handed to her.
“One of the things he (McGovern) tried to do was to get Democrats to run for as many offices as possible — to not let Republicans run unopposed,†Schaff said.
I totally agree, but like I said above, support candidates with in your party, or at least indies that share some of your political values.
Smith said he attended the meeting to discuss the Democrats’ efforts to repeal Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s economic development program. Smith, a Democrat, supports the governor’s program and he wanted to explain why the Democratic efforts were wrong.
No, Darrin, you are wrong. The city’s economic development plans under your watch is to give as many handouts to private industry as possible. As a former ED office employee told me once, we have plenty to offer businesses that want to relocate here besides giving handouts; High productivity at lower wages, no state income tax, the best parks and schools of any city our size in the country, and top-notch public safety. It’s kinda like selling someone a $200 Weber grill for $100 then also giving them a $100 rebate.
“I remember going out of my way, telling them, look, city staff are available to educate and inform,
Yeah we had a city employee who was good at that job, and you fired her. As for getting an education on city politics from a councilor who quit, wouldn’t that be like an 8th grade dropout teaching calculus?
Kyle Vanderlinden was one of two candidates challenging incumbent Councilor Greg Jamison in the Southwest District. Crago emailed Vanderlinden, writing, “A few folks have asked us about your City Council race against Greg Jamison, and I’d love to be able to tell them a bit more about you, how they can help, and how we might be able to help you in a non-partisan fashion.â€
Vanderlinden met with Crago. During the meeting Crago said Vanderlinden would need about $15,000 to beat Jamison. But Vanderlinden said he was uneasy when he was questioned about what he thought of Huether’s achievements. Vanderlinden said he had no problem with Democrats working with him, but he was uneasy that Huether might have been involved. He turned down the help.
This is where the waters get murky. While I do believe the meeting happened, I still question just what kind of involvement Huether had with the races, especially De Knudson’s campaign.
Jamison, a Republican who gets mentioned as a potential mayor candidate, said he appreciates that Vanderlinden declined the help and hopes his challenger runs again. “Kyle Vanderlinden has the exact character and integrity we need on the City Council,†Jamison said.
This is why I endorsed Kyle, I think he is bright with a ton of potential. I also think it takes a lot of integrity to turn down an offer like this. I truly commend Kyle for coming forth with this story and telling both Ellis and I about it, right after the election.
“The one person I probably would have enjoyed working with was De Knudson,†Huether said.
When she lost, however, Huether said he called her opponent, Kermit Staggers, to congratulate him.
This is true, I was standing right next to Kermit when he got the call.
Nesselhuf helped gather signatures to get Knudson, a Republican, on the ballot. Nesselhuf served in the state Senate with Knudson’s husband, former Majority Leader Dave Knudson, and is a family friend. There was no Democrat in the race, and Nesselhuf said, “I didn’t have any problem helping her out.â€
Sorry, Ben, still doesn’t make it right, especially after Jesse Vavreck was asked to step out of the race (a Democrat) who I told Kermit had a better chance of beating him then Knudson.
The party didn’t hold a fundraiser and didn’t do anything inappropriate, she added. But individual Democrats cut her checks.
I don’t think they did anything inappropriate either, our 1st Amendment rights guarantee we can support any candidate we want to, whether they are in your party or not. That isn’t the point. I have a problem with the secrecy of the deal and the counter productivity of supporting candidates out of your party.
Would anyone really believe Darrin Smith’s explanation for why he was present at the meeting? He is really pathetic! This is just another reason not to trust anything that comes out of the Community Development Office. Yes, De Knudsen received assistance from the Democrats. Her larger signs also seemed to find their way to parcels that were owned by developers who would need some kind of approval for variances or rezoning. Or was this just a happy coincidence?
And is there a problem with building the party at the local level? Encouraging candidates to build their policy chops and name recognition by serving on city and county boards is a fine idea.
SD should remove political parties from the local, county governments and from the state legislature. Nebraska legislates with 49 non-partisan senators. Political parties are an an anathema to good governance. The nation’s founders saw this. Political parties interest is in acquiring and staying in power – and not necessarily carrying on the will of the governed or in pursuing the better long-term visions.
While were at it, institute the North Dakota system of NO voter registration or RealID required for voting. Simple, show up with a local address and vote.
I don’t have a problem with Dems getting involved in city elections, but I do have a problem with Dems running members of the GOP to do their work ….. Its nothing but oligarchic politics. One could affectively argue that “non partisan” races are a breeding ground for oligarchic politics and partisan efforts potentially negate this, but not when Dems work in concert with the GOP.
“…Smith said he attended the meeting to discuss the Democrats’ efforts to repeal Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s economic development program. Smith, a Democrat, supports the governor’s program and he wanted to explain why the Democratic efforts were wrong. When the issue of council races came up, Smith said Nesselhuf and Crago were city government “novices†who didn’t understand the differences between district and at-large races.
Smith, a former city councilor, said he offered to help educate any candidates about city government, but not to get involved in politics.
“I remember going out of my way, telling them, look, city staff are available to educate and inform, and that’s been going on for years, but not to get involved in campaigns,†he recalled.
”
Way to keep your options open, Darrin!
Sounds a lot like Hussein Obama campaigning throughout Europe to be elected in the US.. Will they be running state wide ads for a city campaigns? If your going to organize and be funded by a party, than you should have to claim that party on the ticket. You libbys are something else, the most of you claim to be independent until the doors are closed and you think no ones listening. For the record, I would feel the same if I knew the republicans were doing the same.
“I remember going out of my way, telling them, look, city staff are available to educate and inform”
Yeah we had a city employee who was good at that job, and you fired her. As for getting an education on city politics from a councilor who quit, wouldn’t that be like an 8th grade dropout teaching calculus?
If you’re a democrat you should distance yourself from Huether. He’s a Marxist with no concept of democracy. Id like to see a democratic governor and the only way in is from local support. Never Huether & get him out of the mayors office. Darrin Smith is only good for parking cars.
“Right” or “wrong” for party involvement in local, non-partisan races is a matter of one’s personal bias. I am sure the Republicans also have their involvement, even if informally in this case. As for the the Nebraska Unicameral, it is nonpartisan – but pretty much in name only. Probably 100% of political blog readers in Nebraska know the political preference if not the party affiliation of their state senator.
Also, up here in ND, you just show up and vote and it works pretty well up here. But, if you’re not on the rolls (first time voter), better bring a picture ID w/ an ND address or a fresh utility bill to prove you are who you say you are.
“And is there a problem with building the party at the local level?”
Not at all, if you are supporting candidates in your own party. I do give Ben credit for telling their side of the story though.
Every time I read something about this fiasco, I think back to that Huether weirdness in the early part of the campaign when He called out Staggers at the press gathering for the parking garage tear down. In hindsight, it was kind of a Dr. evil moment for your man mike.
I got a voice mail from the mayor on Friday, he called to correct me about donating money to his cousin’s son’s campaign who used to be a Democrat and is running as a Republican now. Totally understand, family is family. Then he made an offhand comment about Jamison, which I didn’t understand. So I called Jamison and Ellis, and found out about this story, which I am sure prompted him to call me. He basically asked me to contact him in the future if I had questions. Which I am okay with, I’m just not sure I am getting the answers I want.
“I’m just not sure I am getting the answers I want.” Or should have received?
DL – So let me get this straight … MMM doesn’t have time to meet with the Santee Sioux Tribe to hear a proposal to pay for the EC, but he’s available any time to answer your questions? Please don’t get me wrong, but the Mayor has really warped sense of priorities!
Thank you for the clarification. You are correct that Dems should spend no dollars helping Republicans, except in extremis. I can’t see party issues being a big deal at the muni level, even in as big a muni as Sioux Falls. We Dems’ organizing goal at that level should be prepping candidates and donors for bigger action. If no Dems are standing up to run for that office, our dollars are better spent elsewhere.
Whatever happened to voting for the best candidate with the best ideas regardless of party?
C – I would agree, but I got the feeling there was a ‘hit list’ of people the dems did not want to see elected like Staggers and Jamison. While they are both considered fiscally responsible Republicans they both got a lot of Democratic support, especially Staggers, because when I looked around the room at his election party I saw many Dems in the room, one even showed up and wrote him a check. By the Democratic party getting involved they turned it into a partisan race.
Pathloss, in your mind what is a ‘Marxist’? Do you even know what a true Marxist is? A Marxist is a pure socialist, in other words a person who is for communal ownership, much like Israeli communal living systems. When and where did you hear Sub-Prime Mike do anything Marxist?