Don’t like negative governor ads

Whew! What a week! I think I’m still recovering from the primary election. In district 30, Sen. Hulse, Rep. Ladner and I all won our primaries. Rep. Ladner and I have opposition in the general election. I enjoy campaigning and try my best to just talk about what I’ve accomplished in the legislature and state what needs to be done next. I never run negative campaigns; my opposition can speak for themselves. Rep. Ladner and Sen. Hulse feel the same I believe.

This recent gubernatorial primary was just over the top! The money spent on negative TV ads and big, glossy postcards was unbelievable. Everywhere I spoke, people wanted to talk about how they were inundated with all the negative TV ads and cards in the mail. They would then ask if there was anything I could do about it!

Just to put my two cents in here, Jon Hansen and Larry Rhoden and I served in the House of Representatives together. I served two years with the current governor, Larry Rhoden, and six years with Jon Hansen. Both are very good friends of mine. All the BS thrown at them was grossly exaggerated and some of it was simply untrue. What really bothered me was the terrible example we are setting for our young people. Our kids, all voting age, also complained to us and also asked me if there wasn’t something I could do to stop all this nonsense.

So, here is a suggestion. We could pick our governor the same way we pick our president. If you want to be president of our country, you go to the national convention and you run to be the presidential candidate there. If the majority of the convention delegates from all the states vote for you, you are that party’s nominee and are placed on the general election ballot. Both Democrat and Republican parties have a national convention and their candidates are selected there.

Why can’t we, in South Dakota, select our gubernatorial candidate that way? Eliminate the primary election and move it to the state convention. Both parties, Republican and Democrat, have state conventions. So, if you want to be governor, you go to the appropriate party’s state convention and run there. If the delegates at the convention vote for you, you are then that party’s nominee and are placed on the general election ballot.

All the past however many weeks of advertising wouldn’t have taken place and we would bypass the governor’s runoff election we are now in, where we may be bombarded by more ads until July 28 when the runoff election is held. By the way, you can start early voting June 12, so there are six weeks to get to the polls and cast your ballot.

Myself, now that my primary election is over, and the good people of District 30 have given me the nod to be the Republican candidate on the November general election ballot, I’m taking my grandkids and going fishing. Have boat, will travel. 

See you at the polls July 28. Have a great summer and thank you for your support!