STRAIGHT OUTTA PIERRE | Campaign cash fuels attack ads, hurt feelings ahead of primary
Sharp, snappy and South Dakotan — an anonymous shot of insight with a twist of sarcasm
The primary election is still days away and already I feel like a political ATM with lower fees than First Bank & Trust.
Every statewide candidate and a good share of legislative hopefuls have made the pilgrimage to my checkbook. Texts. Calls. Fundraisers. Chicken dinners. Golf outings. I’ve set personal records on campaign giving, and we haven’t even cleared the primary. My accountant is concerned. My wife is less surprised.
But these primaries matter. In a lot of South Dakota districts, June effectively decides who goes to Pierre. The general election is sometimes just a formality with more yard signs. So if you care about who writes the laws, now is the time to write the check and pull the lever.
And judging by the spending reports, plenty of people are doing exactly that.
My contributions are basically lemonade stand money compared to what’s flowing through South Dakota politics these days. This primary has officially entered the Super PAC era.
Outside groups and independent expenditure committees have already dumped millions into the governor’s race alone. We’ve got PACs (political action committees). Super PACs. Independent expenditure committees. Political nonprofits. Consultants from out of state. Digital media firms. Opposition research shops. Mail pieces arriving so fast they barely cool off before the next one hits the mailbox.
South Dakota politics used to feel like a church fundraiser with bad coffee and bars made from melted butterscotch chips. Now it occasionally feels like a congressional race in suburban Phoenix.
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