Leader of anti-carbon pipeline movement takes helm of South Dakota GOP

Jim Eschenbaum wins Republican Party chair race, Janet Jensen vice-chair

Jim Eschenbaum speaks at a debate on RL 21 last year. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

PIERRE — The Central Committee of the South Dakota Republican Party sent another message of opposition to a proposed carbon capture pipeline by electing a leader of the property rights movement as its chairman.

Members of GOP county leadership from across the state elevated Miller’s Jim Eschenbaum to the top spot in the party Saturday, replacing outgoing Chair and former State Sen. John Wiik. Eschenbaum — a Hand County Commissioner who led the movement to repeal Senate Bill 201 at the ballot box last November with Referred Law 21 — defeated former lawmaker Lee Qualm and anti-Amendment H campaign leader Ezra Hays to seize the nomination. Notably, both Qualm and Hays were opponents of the carbon capture pipeline proposal as well.

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Qualm was knocked off on the first ballot, receiving just five fewer votes than Hays in order to make it into the run-off race. Eschenbaum beat Hays on the second ballot by a vote of 103-98.

Janet Jensen, wife of lawmaker Phil Jensen and a longtime party activist herself, received the nod to become the party’s vice-chair, replacing Rep. Mary Fitzgerald in the role. Meanwhile, fellow lawmaker Tina Mullaly — who headed the South Dakota Property Rights and Local Control Alliance with Eschenbaum in opposition to RL 21 last year — will serve as the party’s treasurer. Starla Russell ran unopposed to become the party’s next secretary.

Eschenbaum, 62, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Dakota Scout. The carbon pipeline opposition stance was reinforced by a vote by the Central Committee to support House Bill 1052, which would effectively bring an end to Summit Carbon Solution’s bid to build a carbon pipeline connecting ethanol plants in eastern South Dakota.

The GOP’s new leadership will be tasked with finding footing for the party right away. Though Republicans continue to dominate the Rushmore State’s elected offices, the state party apparatus has lagged in fundraising over the last several years. The party reported about $57,500 cash on hand to the Federal Elections Commission this month. Eschenbaum and his team will have to deal with staffing changes as well. Current South Dakota Republican Party Executive Director Reggie Rhoden posted to social media Friday that he would not seek the job under the next chair.

Rounding out the regional advisory board for the party was: Tom Pischke in District 1, Ben Krohmer in District 2, Doug Post in District 3, Rich Hilgemann in District 4, Tom Bruner in District 5, and Ezra Hays in District 6.

All members of party leadership will serve two-year terms.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Primary voters punish pipeline supporters in wave of defeats