South Dakota
Campaign finance reports reveal high-stakes spending in key legislative races • South Dakota Searchlight
South Dakota Republican legislative leaders are directing extra money toward a handful of competitive races in the state, while a few Democrats are outspending or nearly keeping pace with their Republican opponents ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.
All 105 seats in the South Dakota Legislature are on the ballot. Republicans had locks on roughly half of the seats before any votes were cast, because of Democrats’ failure to field a full slate of candidates in many districts.
Following are summaries of some races where campaign finance reports filed ahead of an Oct. 21 deadline indicated a potentially competitive contest, based on money raised and spent since last spring.
Senate District 32 (Rapid City)
The Senate race in District 32, which covers portions of central Rapid City, has shaped up as a proxy war for factions within the Republican Party.
Incumbent Republican Sen. Helene Duhamel faces a challenge from Karen McNeal, who is running as an independent while campaigning as a conservative. There is no Democrat in the race.
Duhamel raised about $72,000 and spent over $43,000. Nearly $24,000 came from individual donors, with another $40,000 from political action committees representing industries such as health care, corn growers, utilities and chambers of commerce.
Of the political action committee money, $25,000 came from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, which is chaired by Republican Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, and reported spending a total of $80,000 to support various candidates ahead of this election.
McNeal collected about $17,000 in donations and spent the same. About $15,000 came from individual supporters, while Republican Rep. Scott Odenbach’s Liberty Tree PAC contributed $2,000. Odenbach’s committee targeted Republicans in the June primary that he deemed insufficiently conservative, helping to defeat 14 Republican incumbents.
House District 32 (Rapid City)
In the District 32 House race, Duhamel’s husband, incumbent Republican Rep. Steve Duffy, is in a three-way race for two seats with Republican Brook Kaufman and Democrat Nicole Uhre-Balk. Republican Rep. Kristin Conzet is not running.
Kaufman spent about $31,000, followed by Duffy’s spending of $23,000 and Uhre-Balk’s spending of $20,000.
Kaufman received $18,000 from political action committees and $12,000 from individuals, while Duffy received $19,000 from PACs and $2,000 from individuals. Uhre-Balk received $4,000 from PACs and $18,000 from individual contributions.
Senate District 34 (Rapid City)
Democrat Kehala Two Bulls is well-funded in her race against Republican former legislator Taffy Howard for the District 34 Senate seat vacated by the retiring Republican Mike Diedrich. The district covers western Rapid City and adjacent outlying areas.
Two Bulls has taken in $7,000 in contributions of $100 or less, and $16,000 in contributions over $100. In total, she’s taken in $29,000 and spent $21,000.
Howard has raised $3,500 in contributions of $100 or less, and $15,000 in contributions over $100. She’s taken in a total of $23,000 and spent $40,000, after starting with $33,000 from past campaigns.
Toby Doeden’s Dakota First Action political action committee gave Howard $3,800. The group recently held a gala criticized by some Republicans for its inclusion of a speech from North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson, who was outed by CNN for racist and sexually explicit remarks more than a decade ago on a pornographic website’s message board.
Senate District 12 (Sioux Falls)
In District 12, which covers a portion of southwest Sioux Falls straddling Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties, Republican incumbent Sen. Arch Beal has been out-fundraised and outspent by Democratic challenger Clay Hoffman.
Beal took in $48,000 and spent $30,000. Of his campaign contributions, $250 came from individuals giving $100 or less, and $14,250 came from people giving over that amount. Another $1,000 came from Anheuser-Busch and $1,000 from TRGU LLC, his company. Other political action committees gave another $29,000, including $15,000 from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee.
He also received $3,900 worth of campaign material and travel expenses during door-knocking events from the Students for Life Action committee, which is a group of student anti-abortion advocates.
Hoffman took in $66,000 and spent $45,000. Of the contributions, $12,000 came from individuals giving $100 or less, and another $32,000 came from people giving over $100. Former Democratic candidate for governor Jamie Smith, who is running for Senate in District 15, contributed $1,000 from his campaign to Hoffman’s.
The Majority PAC, run by Sioux Falls Democratic state Sen. Reynold Nesiba, of Sioux Falls, who is not seeking reelection in District 15, made the largest donation to Hoffman, contributing $5,000.
Senate, District 14 (Sioux Falls)
Another Republican state Senate incumbent being outspent by a Democratic challenger is Larry Zikmund in District 14, which covers a portion of southeast Sioux Falls.
Democrat Sandra Henry has raised $58,000 and spent $39,000. Zikmund has raised $42,000 and spent $34,000.
Zikmund was helped by $15,000 from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee. Another $12,000 of Zikmund’s campaign chest came from individuals.
For Henry, the vast majority of contributions came from individuals, including $13,000 in contributions of $100 or less. Another $1,000 came from Nesiba’s PAC.
Senate District 18 (Clay, Yankton counties)
District 18, which covers Yankton County and a portion of Clay County, has an open Senate seat after Republican challenger Lauren Nelson toppled Sen. Jean Hunhoff in the June primary, ending Hunhoff’s 24-year legislative career.
Nelson, of Yankton, has raised $23,000 and spent $30,000, after starting with $8,000 leftover from the primary. She took in $2,000 in donations of $100 or less. The campaign’s biggest donation was $8,000 from her and her husband. Odenbach’s Liberty Tree PAC kicked in $500.
The Democratic candidate, Sarah Carda, also of Yankton, took in over $28,000 and spent $24,000. She received $3,500 in donations of $100 or less, and $10,000 from Nesiba’s PAC.
House District 1 (Brown, Day, Marshall, Roberts counties)
In District 1, which covers the northeast corner of the state, six candidates are vying for the district’s two House seats: two Republicans, two Democrats and two Libertarians.
Incumbent Republican Joe Donnell did not run for reelection, and Republican incumbent Tamara St. John lost to two other Republicans in the June primary.
One of those Republicans, Logan Manhart, of Aberdeen, has taken in $14,500 and spent over $16,000. Of that, $30 came from individuals giving $100 or less and nearly $10,000 came from people giving over $100, though several names listed are companies. Manhart received $500 from Odenbach’s Liberty Tree PAC.
Fellow Republican Christopher Reder, of Warner, took in about $8,000 and spent $8,000. Of that, $170 came from individuals giving $100 or less and $3,200 came from those giving over $100. He also received funds from Liberty Tree PAC, as well as the South Dakota Freedom Caucus PAC, another group advocating conservative positions.
Reder and Manhart both received about $1,400 from Dakota First Action, and both attended the event that featured Mark Robinson. The House GOP PAC, chaired by House Majority Leader Will Mortenson, who criticized the Robinson event, gave Reder and Manhart $1,500 each.
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Democrat Steven McCleerey, of Sisseton, raised about $21,000 and spent $16,000. Of that, $2,000 came from individuals giving $100 or less. Another $11,100 came from people giving over over $100.
Fellow Democrat Mark Sumption, of Frederick, raised and spent $11,000. His biggest contribution was $1,500 from Bluestem Initiative, a political action committee chaired by state Rep. Erin Healy, D-Sioux Falls. That group gave a total of $15,500 to various candidates.
Libertarians Josh Dennert, of Aberdeen, and Tamara Lesnar, of Grenville, raised under $2,000 combined.
House District 3 (Aberdeen)
In District 3, which covers most of Aberdeen and surrounding areas, a Democratic challenger has raised more for her campaign than either of the two Republicans in the three-way race for two seats.
The Democrat, Erin Rudner, brought in over $46,000, including a $5,000 loan from herself to her campaign. She raised $4,000 from individuals giving $100 or less, and another $22,520 from people giving over $100. One 605 Victory Fund gave her campaign its greatest contribution, of $9,500. That funding predominately came from Steve Pfeiffer, of Aberdeen.
Term-limited Republican state Sen. Al Novstrup is attempting to switch from the Senate to the House. His campaign brought in $13,000, including a $3,700 loan from himself. Incumbent Republican Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer raised $21,000, including a $10,000 loan from herself.
Senate District 27 (Bennett, Jackson, Pennington, Oglala Lakota counties)
Sen. Red Dawn Foster, D-Pine Ridge, took in $13,000, and spent $19,000. Her committee already had $9,00 on hand. Her biggest donation was $5,000 from Nesiba’s Majority PAC.
Her Republican challenger, Anthony Kathol, took in about $8,000 and spent $12,000. His biggest reported contribution was $3,700 to his own campaign for food and gas. The second biggest was $1,250 from Foster’s 2022 Republican challenger David Jones.
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South Dakota
UNI wrestling earns dual win over South Dakota State and host of Iowans at the UNI-Dome
UNI’s Parker Keckeisen discusses matchup with Carter Starocci
Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen discusses matchup with Carter Starocci, season ahead
As expected, Northern Iowa wrestling’s dual vs. South Dakota State on Sunday went down to the wire.
Senior heavyweight Lance Runyon and his 7-2 win over No. 28 Luke Rasmussen was the final decider, as the Southeast Polk alum’s takedown and two reversals tied the dual at 15 each by the end of the event, with UNI winning by criteria with the most bout points scored.
The teams evenly split all 10 bouts, with zero bonus-point victories. While the Jackrabbits brought a tough team to the UNI-Dome, with multiple highly ranked wrestlers, several former Hawkeyes and native Iowans in the lineup, Runyon’s heroics in the dual made the difference.
A pair of wrestlers returned to the mat for UNI after missing all of last season with injury in Kyle Gollhofer at 125 pounds and Cory Land at 133 pounds. Both looked stout against ranked opponents, as Gollhoffer lost an overtime bout with No. 5 Tanner Jordan and Land scrambled his way to a 9-7 win over No. 24 Derrick Cardinal.
To lead 9-6 at the break, Cael Happel picked up a 4-1 win by decision over Julian Tagg at 141 pounds and Ryder Downey secured a stout 8-1 win over No. 17 Cobe Siebrecht, a former Iowa Hawkeye NCAA qualifier at 157 pounds.
The Jackrabbits roared back with a pair of wins by decisions form former Hawkeye Drake Rhodes over Jack Thomsen (12-7), followed by Southeast Polk alum and No. 3 Cade Devos coming back to defeat No. 19 Jared Simma to take a 12-9 lead.
Following a win by decision for No. 2 Parker Keckeisen over No. 4 Bennett Berge in his dual debut of the season after winning a national title, another former Hawkeye in No. 8 Zach Glazier scored the lone takedown of the match against No. 15 Wyatt Voelker to put SDSU up 15-12 heading into the last match.
With Runyon’s win, the dual was tied 15-15 in the team score, but the Panthers outscored the Jackrabbits 62-51 in total match points to win by 16-15 by criteria.
UNI Wrestling vs. South Dakota State box score
- 125: Tanner Jordan (SDSU) over Kyle Gollhofer (UNI) (SV-1 7-4)
- 133: Cory Land (UNI) over Derrick Cardinal (SDSU) (Dec 9-7)
- 141: Cael Happel (UNI) over Julian Tagg (SDSU) (Dec 4-1)
- 149: Colin Dupill (SDSU) over Adam Allard (UNI) (Dec 7-6)
- 157: Ryder Downey (UNI) over Cobe Siebrecht (SDSU) (Dec 8-1)
- 165: Drake Rhodes (SDSU) over Jack Thomsen (UNI) (Dec 12-7)
- 174: Cade DeVos (SDSU) over Jared Simma (UNI) (Dec 7-6)
- 184: Parker Keckeisen (UNI) over Bennett Berge (SDSU) (Dec 8-3)
- 197: Zach Glazier (SDSU) over Wyatt Voelker (UNI) (Dec 4-3)
- 285: Lance Runyon (UNI) over Luke Rasmussen (SDSU) (Dec 7-2)
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
South Dakota
Duquesne MBB’s 2 Keys Against South Dakota State
The wait for a press conference following Tuesday’s 80-74 loss to Milwaukee was the longest since the six-win 2021-22 Duquesne Men’s Basketball Team, but during that time, words had to be said, and head coach Dru Joyce III had some points to get across.
His team, now 0-4 needed to hear him speak and needed to understand what it takes to be winners.
Duquesne men’s and women’s basketball on PSN is sponsored by Moon Golf Club.
Duquesne has been in this position before, in fact earlier this year, when it started 0-5 in Atlantic 10 play. While this can be used as a reference and rallying point, there are countless different pieces in this group and their understanding of what it takes to win could be crucial in determining the outcome of its season.
With that in mind, Duquesne has three games in the Cayman Island Classic, the first of which tips off Sunday at 1:30 p.m. against South Dakota State.
Here are two keys to prepare for that contest.
1. Determine what being a winner looks like–
“(We’re) going through different challenges. New group of guys trying to learn and gel from each other. No talent issue, we need to develop an attitude of buying in and being completely unselfish especially on the defensive end.” – Jake DiMichele
As mentioned earlier in a three keys piece, there is a simple recipe that makes Duquesne good, getting stops and moving the ball.
Duquesne’s runs on Tuesday game from getting defensive stops, it was what allowed the Dukes to experience success and clearly the same holds true if they desire victories.
Last year that entailed sacrifices from everyone on the team and the same holds true this season.
Ball movement is just as critical. Far too many times the ball stuck in an area for as much as five seconds, and Joyce had to shout at his team to move the ball.
This season’s high mark for assists is 15 and that is not going to win Duquesne many games. While the aforementioned six-win team would have killed for 15 assists a night, the talent on this Dukes team is far too much to settle for that mark.
“When we minimize the importance of a possession defensively and not be sound and make mistakes, we pay for them,” Joyce explained. “We haven’t been able to get past any mistake that we make. It’s like we owe somebody money. When we don’t move the ball, we struggle. The ball moves we develop good shots. When we lack those things, that’s where the struggle in play comes. We continue to hurt ourselves. It’s not necessarily the other team; it’s us because we are capable of defending.”
2. Determine a starting five– Under normal circumstances a starting five is not finite and can be ceremonial, but what made Duquesne succeed last year was players understanding his respective role. It is no coincidence that once those were fleshed out, it was off to the races.
Having a steady starting lineup in game five may seem like an overreaction on paper, but it would go a long way in establishing those roles. Of course, those roles can change but the lineup should reward those who have brought it most and can find ways to gel on the court.
Of course, this season is new for everyone, and Duquesne is still recovering from injuries, so there is a period of determining what works, but as far as the win column is concerned, not enough has and when it goes south, it gets exposed.
There also needs to be a willingness to ride the hot hand. In the first half of the Milwaukee game that was Matus Hronsky, he had the most juice of any Duquesne player, but in a coach’s decision, he spent much of the second half on the bench and when he did come in, he had lost his juice. Not only does riding the hot hand reward that player, but it sends a clear message to those on the court that this is the standard if you want to stay on the court.
Personally, my starting five right now would be as follows: Jake DiMichele, Tre Dinkins III, Jakub Necas, Jahsean Corbett, David Dixon, and yes this accounts for all four games.
DiMichele posted a career high Tuesday and stepped up vocally. He makes the right plays, is a winner and most importantly, is finally coming around in health.
There have been calls for DiMichele to start earlier, but that was not wise. Even he admits he missed an extended period of time and had 2-3 practices before the season opener against Lipscomb, where he got back cut on multiple occasions.
DiMichele can find his shot, can move the ball and most importantly sacrifices and sells out defensively. He can set an example in that regard that his teammates can follow.
Dinkins showed a lot in the second half of Milwaukee and took a couple of big shots a la Dae Dae Grant. While they did not go in, it was the first true showing of point-blank rise and fire. His rally and heart were very noticeable, and it frankly might have been the most heart any Dukes player has displayed thus far. That was absolutely noticed on the court.
Necas was slowed by an injury during workouts, but is a player who puts in the work, can guard practically any position on the court and when right, is a mismatch that can expose an opponent’s weaknesses. He will get going and this is not just based on last year, but the quiet confidence he possesses. The three spot in basketball today is adaptable and has to be a counter puncher based on what the game calls for, and it makes the most sense.
Corbett has been Duquesne’s most consistent player thus far. He has made the jump from Chicago State and applied himself very well. He had his below par game against Milwaukee, largely due to foul trouble, but he has been the best post thus far, shoots 42.1% from the field, leads the team at 5.8 rebounds per game and finishes plays. He should be rewarded for all of this.
Dixon was injured the summer, but based on what he has shown, especially defensively, deserves the first shot to get right and put it together. He will get stronger as the season progresses and while at 16.7 minutes per game, provided he can avoid the fouls, he can change the game with one block and offensively can give the most versatility from any post on the roster. Dixon’s confidence in himself preseason was the highest it has been in his now three years and giving him the chance to prove that is important for both sides.
There are several knocking on the door, but you also want to have a punch off the bench where the quality can maintain or increase, something just as important that Keith Dambrot was great at finding.
Four games in, Duquesne has 81 fouls, meaning it is getting whistles blown just a tick over 20 times a game, which is also far too much, as is the 50.2% opposing field goal percentage.
The Dukes need to remember what butters their bread so to speak and come together to once again change the story.
Ultimately, no matter who starts, it is imperative to find combinations that work, there has been nearly a month to find that and with that achieve trust, belief and execution on the court.
By no means is it time to press a panic button yet. It is four games into the season and there is far too much belief to do that.
South Dakota
THE VERMIRACLE 2! Coyotes stun Bison late to earn share of Missouri Valley Championship
VERMILLION, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – An impeccable day on Senior Day inside the DakotaDome resulted in a pair of touchdowns in the final four-plus minutes as the No. 4-ranked University of South Dakota football team (9-2, 7-1 MVFC) took down No. 1-ranked North Dakota State (10-2, 7-1 MVFC), 29-28, to lay claim to the program’s first-ever Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) and end the regular season undefeated in the Dome.
It was a fast start for the Coyotes inside the Dome with the Yotes jumping out to a quick 14-0 lead and the Coyote defense forcing Bison punts on their first four drives of the contest. The offense also out of the gate hot put together back-to-back touchdown drives of 80 and 73 yards.
South Dakota would win the coin toss and, as usual, Coach Nielson elected to trust his elite defense and make the Bison deal with the student section on the south end of the Dome. In the first three plays of the contest, Mi’Quise Grace (So., Cincinnati, Ohio) would get home twice for a pair of sacks as he notches his second 2+ sack game in the last three games.
Behind a rocking crowd, the Coyote offense would take to the field for the first time as Travis Theis (Sr., Pratt, Kan.) would get the first offensive touch from scrimmage, taking it nine yards. The first explosive play for the Yotes would come soon after when Aidan Bouman (Jr., Buffalo, Minn.) would find Theis out of the backfield for a 23-yard pickup and into Bison territory for the first time on the day in just three plays.
More chunk plays as a 29-yard connection between Bouman and Carter Bell (Sr., Bettendorf, Iowa) would put the Yotes in the Red Zone. Not wasting any time, a pass to Keyondray Jones-Logan (So., Orlando, Fla.) would put USD at the 1-yard line with Theis punching it in for the first score of the day.
The Yote defense would follow the touchdown drive with their second-straight three-and-out. The offense would come back on the field and march 73 yards in seven plays to increase their lead up to 14-0 with Theis capping it off with his second rushing score of the day from 14 yards out.
Soon thereafter, North Dakota State would show why they entered the contest ranked No. 1 in the FCS and had won all 10 games against FCS opponents up to today. The Bison would close out the first half, stealing away the momentum the Yotes had built up with back-to-back scoring drives to knot things up at 14-14 just before the halftime break.
The Coyotes would get the ball first out of the locker room. Pushing it inside the Bison 30-yard line, the drive would stall out, but Will Leyland (Jr., Souderton, Pa.) would convert on his ninth field goal of the season with a 37-yard field goal to give the Yotes the 17-14 lead.
Yet again, the Bison would show fight and put up 14 unanswered points to end the third quarter and into the final frame. But it would be Javion Phelps (Orlando, Fla.) who completely took over the game in the fourth quarter, and the final five minutes. The junior wide out brought down all three of his receptions on the game in the final 15 minutes, including the go-ahead touchdown grab with seconds left on the clock.
Seemingly taking the life out of the Yotes and the Dome, the Bison would punch in a touchdown score from one-yard out with 4:10 left on the clock to take a 28-17 lead utilizing a 20-play, 99-yard drive.
Down, but not out, the South Dakota offense would take the field trailing by 11 with just over four minutes remaining. The first three passes of the drive would hit the turf as USD was faced with a fourth-and-10. Having the utmost faith in his receivers, Bouman would find Phelps open for a 31-yard completion down to the NDSU 40-yard line. Two plays later, Bouman would find Jack Martens (Jr., Cumberland, Wis.) for a 40-yard touchdown strike, Martens first touchdown grab of the season. After a failed two-point conversion, the Yotes would find themselves trailing 28-23 with 3:20 to go.
A beautiful kickoff from Zeke Mata (Jr., San Marcos, Calif.) would be downed at the NDSU 1-yard line, pinning the Bison deep. Needing a stop to have a chance and the Bison potent rushing game, it would be a clash of the titans.
NDSU would pick up a first down with 1:33 on the clock. A Grace tackle for loss on first down would set up the Bison with a second-and-long, as USD took their first time out. Two more Bison rushes with their backs would see it be fourth down and six to go on the NDSU 16-yard line.
The defense doing their job and winning the battle of the titans in the trenches, Bouman and company got the ball back at the South Dakota 42-yard line with 1:20 left and no time outs.
Bouman, setting out to lead a game-winning score, would methodically pick apart the North Dakota State secondary as the first play would be a nine-yard completion to Quaron Adams (So., Phoenix, Ariz.) to push into Bison territory.
With under a minute left and the crowd on their feet, Bouman would find Phelps open again on the NDSU sideline. Despite the call on the field being incomplete, upon further review Phelps got a foot down with possession of the ball, for a 23-yard completion and the clock stopped with 51 ticks left.
North Dakota State would get pressure the very next play and bring Bouman down for a sack and a loss of nine yards back to the NDSU 25-yard line. Rushing up to the line, Bouman would snap the ball, and instead of spiking it, look down field to, again, find a wide open Phelps at the four-yard line that he’d take into the endzone for the game-winning score with 12 seconds left.
North Dakota State would get two snaps off, trying a lateral on the final play of the game, but Nate Ewell (Sr., Waterloo, Iowa) would end that threat as the Coyotes take down the Bison, 29-28, in an instant classic as the Yotes erased the 11-point deficit with a pair of touchdowns in the final four-plus minutes to take home (a share of) the MVFC title for the first time in program history.
It’s the first South Dakota win over NDSU in the DakotaDome since 2002 and the first win over a No. 1-ranked team since 2011 (Eastern Washington).
Up Next: South Dakota will await their NCAA FCS Playoff seed, set to be announced tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. on ESPNU. Updates will be provided tomorrow on GoYotes.com and the South Dakota football social channels.
Copyright 2024 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
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