THE SCOUTING LOUNGE
Back on top | Dusty's legislative leaders | Leaving it to the locals | Dubious data center disputes | Praising Dakota State University | Shooting down bad bills | Nov. 14, 2026 Sen. Casey Crabree
South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree is back in the leadership seat — and he's got a game plan for the 2027 legislative session.
The Madison Republican joins The Scouting Lounge to talk about his return to the top of the Senate Republican caucus, the priorities facing a Legislature with a 33-2 Republican majority and what voters should expect when lawmakers return to Pierre in January.
Crabtree weighs in on the growing public backlash against data centers, whether South Dakota needs additional guardrails for the industry and why he believes local governments should have the final say. He also discusses affordability, property taxes, economic development and public safety — the issues he says will drive the upcoming session.
Plus, a little legislative inside baseball, the art of killing bad bills and a look at what it's like to be back in the majority leader's chair.
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