Latest news with #SouthDakotaGovernor
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep Dusty Johnson launches bid for South Dakota governor
South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson, the state's sole member of the House, has announced a run for governor. Johnson is chair of the House GOP's Main Street Caucus and a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. He has served in Congress since 2019, following a job as vice president at a South Dakota-based engineering and consulting firm. Prior to his role as an executive, Johnson also worked as South Dakota Public Utilities commissioner from 2005 to 2011, during which he was appointed chief of staff to former Gov. Dennis Daugaard. The announcement, deemed by local media as a "formality" after Johnson was already rumored to run, came Monday at a campaign event and was paired with a video the representative shared on social media. Key House Gop Moderate Don Bacon Won't Seek Re-election "I's been such an honor to work for you in Congress. We rolled up our sleeves and got things moving in the right direction, cutting trillions in wasteful spending, standing with President Trump to secure our border and finally getting tough on China," Johnson said. "Those were important fights to build a better country for our kids, but their future doesn't begin in some far away place. It begins here, at home, in South Dakota. That's why we need to hit the gas and give them a clear path to a bright future." Read On The Fox News App Trump Reacts To Tillis Not Seeking Re-election, Sends Warning To 'Cost Cutting Republicans' Following the announcement, criticism began popping up online that Johnson has not adequately supported President Donald Trump, and claims he is a "never-Trumper" are "lies of the desperate." "Here are the facts," Johnson told Fox News Digital. "Donald Trump has had me down to Mar-a-Lago. I've gone to the Super Bowl with President Trump. I donated $10,000 to his re-election campaign years ago. He endorsed me in my 2020 race. I was his state campaign chairman for his re-elect." Johnson added that he is someone who has "a long-standing, multi-year history of being a partner" with Trump. Johnson also said he has proven to be a "key ally" of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R–La., noting he was one of the members of Congress who "helped deliver the votes to get him elected speaker." On the fight in the Senate over the Trump-endorsed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Johnson said he supports the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives and expressed optimism it will get passed by the Senate by the GOP's self-imposed July 4 article source: Rep Dusty Johnson launches bid for South Dakota governor
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dusty Johnson wants to fix SD's property taxes, public health crisis — and the GOP divide
With his family by his side, and his old boss Dennis Daugaard sitting across from him, Dusty Johnson could finally get this off his chest: He's entering the contest for South Dakota's governor job. Johnson, currently South Dakota's lone U.S. r asepresentative, announced the launch of his campaign to run for the state's gubernatorial position June 30 at a Steel District hotel in Sioux Falls. Johnson is now the third South Dakota Republican to officially enter the 2026 race and the fifth entrant overall. In a conference room filled with at least a hundred Dusty supporters, several state Republican figures preceded Johnson with an endorsement speech. Among the crowd, several other state and local leaders turned out in support of Johnson. Reps. Brian Mulder Drew Peterson, Tim Reisch, and Kevin Van Diepen appeared at the event, as did Joe Kippley, Minnehaha County commissioner and public health director for the City of Sioux Falls. State Reps. Taylor Rehfeldt, R-Sioux Falls, and Will Mortenson, R-Ft. Pierre, took to the podium at the center of the hall, each heralding the congressman as a "visionary leader" and a man with "integrity." "We need a leader who isn't afraid of hard work, a leader who will stand firm in their own convictions and still listen," Rehfeldt said. "A leader who doesn't chase headlines but chases results. That, my friends, is Dusty Johnson." Johnson's largest endorsement of the day came from one of the state's previous leaders, former Gov. Dennis Daugaard, whom Johnson served as chief of staff. Daugaard extolled Johnson's problem solving attitude, saying his former executive assistant brings a "kind of common sense conservatism." "As my chief of staff, Dusty helped me cut $127 million from our state budget to get it back in balance, but without raising taxes and without cutting vital services," Daugaard said. "I've always believed that leadership isn't about attention seeking or about personal achievement or ladder climbing. It's about work and results. That's how I tried to lead as your governor, and I can tell you, that's exactly how Dusty Johnson leads." After Daugaard, Johnson's sons, Ben, Max and Owen stepped up to the mic, and, after talking up their father, introduced Dusty Johnson, who entered from a room behind the main stage. Jacquelyn Johnson, Dusty Johnson's wife, entered the hall first, with the congressman just behind her. Johnson hugged his sons before turning to the applauding crowd. Joined by his loved ones, Johnson talked about an important decision he made "23 years ago" — moving back home to South Dakota. "We knew this was a special place filled with great people and strong values," Johnson said. Johnson laid out his executive priorities as governor, saying he would focus on property taxes, public health and affordable education. Of property taxes, Johnson said he would aim to cut property taxes, "not as some have proposed, but responsibly, protecting those core services, roads, bridges, cops, schools." In a media gaggle following his announcement, Johnson elaborated on his property tax designs, which would be focused on raising state and local revenues to offset tax reductions. "Over the course of the last 10 years, I would bet on average that South Dakota has $70 million or $80 million of new revenue every single year. Our economy grows when that happens, the sales tax revenues grow," Johnson said. "Last quarter, our state grew at 0%. At the same time, our country grew 3.2% annualized. South Dakota is capable of more than that. We know that, over the last 30 years, we on average have grown a lot more than that. If we can increase that rate of growth, we're going to increase the revenues that allow us to invest in those two top priorities." Public health is also an area Johnson said he is looking to lead on, with a hope to encourage "safer communities" by focusing on drugs and addiction and creating "new drug interdiction teams." In this vein, Johnson also said he desired "smarter treatment" and training inside the walls of South Dakota's various prisons. A Project Prison Reset committee, launched by Gov. Larry Rhoden and actively led by Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, is currently crafting a proposal for the full Legislature to decide where a new men's prison should be built in South Dakota, with the hope that a new facility would offset severe overcrowding and improve safety at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls and other facilities. So far, the committee has only given the thumbs-up to two out of 14 proposed sites for a new men's prison — one in Mitchell, and the other near Worthing — and is actively considering potential expansion of the state's current facilities. The Argus Leader asked Johnson whether the state should expand its existing prison infrastructure or build new prisons. Johnson did not directly opine one way or the other, instead preferring to leave the process in the hands of the prison committee. But the congressman added he hoped the prison board would make a decision "for the long-term rather than engage in a Band-Aid solution." Rhoden released a May 15 consultant report that suggested the state should add 3,264 prison beds across multiple facilities across a 10-year period, costing upwards of $2.1 billion. Asked if he supported the plan, which would cover the state's prison population through 2036, Johnson handwaved the report, saying a "variety of consultants in this state and elsewhere believe there are a number of good, long-term plans." "It's not my job today to, you know, to determine which of those is best. But Gov. Rhoden has put together a good committee," Johnson said. "They are doing their work. It's not my job to tell them where to end up. I just hope they make a good long term decision." Johnson also noted his education platform. He told his supporters he planned to make college and tech school more affordable. "It means finding those programs and research that really moves South Dakota forward," Johnson said. "For K-12, it means being relentless about student achievement, setting real goals, using real data, and not being afraid to lead." So far, two other Republican candidates, South Dakota House Speaker Jon Hansen and Aberdeen businessman and conservative activist Toby Doeden, have announced their campaigns for the governor's seat. Hansen and Doeden offer more conservative options compared with the establishment or traditional Republicans. Hansen played a key role in defeating Amendment G, a proposed state amendment that would have enshrined the right to an abortion into the South Dakota Constitution. Hansen and his running mate, Speaker Pro Tempore Karla Lems, also worked to prevent carbon dioxide pipeline developers like Summit Carbon Solutions from constructing large-scale sequestration lines through the Mount Rushmore State. Doeden also shifted the make-up of the state Legislature by funding the election campaigns of populist, property rights-oriented Republicans, which aided other conservatives of the same stripe in taking top legislative positions and committee chair assignments. Johnson pointed to his experience in a "rowdy and colorful Republican U.S. House," saying he worked with conservatives of various flavors on national border security, spending cuts and welfare reform. Asked by the Argus Leader how he intended to garner support from the state's populist and property rights Republicans, some of whom support Hansen and Doeden, Johnson said he's worked as an "emissary" to the national Freedom Caucus, a highly conservative bloc. "I've got to tell you, the Freedom Caucus in the Republican House is pretty conservative. And I worked with those guys and we get good things done together every Tuesday morning," Johnson said. "When I'm in D.C., I'm having breakfast with key Freedom Caucus leaders. They trust me that they know that I'm somebody who can work with them to deliver conservative victories. That's what we're going to build in South Dakota." But for supporters like Mortenson, who said Johnson's announcement occasion was something he had been waiting for going on "15 years," the gap between the MAGA-esque Doeden and the strictly conservative Hansen is something worth celebrating. "The other folks running for governor would tell you our state is broken. They'd say we're … headed down the wrong track. They want to defund our schools. That's their words, that's their bills, not mine. They want to stifle agriculture. They want government to regulate everything from corrals to crayons," Mortenson said. "Theirs is a dangerous map that leads to a dark place for South Dakota." This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Dusty Johnson's governor bid welcomed by traditional Republicans
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dusty Johnson traces South Dakota public service record to 2004
Jun. 30—MITCHELL — Dusty Johnson has long been a familiar face on the South Dakota political scene. He has worked to serve the citizens of South Dakota in a variety of public service roles dating back more than two decades, holding elected office at both the state and national level. Johnson confirmed that he will try to continue that political career in a new role, this time as governor of South Dakota, when he announced Monday in Sioux Falls that he was running for the office in 2026. He joins two other Republican candidates and a Democrat in a race who have already announced their candidacy. If he is successful, it will be the latest step forward in his political journey, one that has its roots beginning in his hometown of Pierre. Johnson, 48, was born in Pierre into a large, working class family, according to his official biography highlights. He attended T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre and holds degrees from the University of South Dakota and the University of Kansas. He took to community volunteerism early on, pursuing activities such as teaching Sunday School. Professionally, Johnson has served as vice president for Vantage Point Solutions, a South Dakota based engineering and consulting firm that specializes in rural communications. The company has more than 200 employees and helps providers design, build and operate broadband systems in 40 states. His position at Vantage Point gave him experience in state and national telecommunications policy, particularly Federal Communications Commission reform efforts and the transformation of the Universal Service Fund, a federal government program that helps make telecommunications services, including broadband, more affordable and accessible for all Americans, especially those in rural, low-income, and high-cost areas. Johnson has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Dakota Wesleyan University and a board member at Abbott House, a nonprofit agency that serves abused and neglected children. He now lives in Mitchell with his wife and three sons, with whom he enjoyed hiking, camping, hunting and reading in his spare time. Johnson began his public service career when he ran for the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission in 2004 and won one of the three seats on the board. At the time, he was the youngest state PUC commissioner in the United States. During his time on the commission, he worked with fellow commissioners to maintain a fair and reasonable regulatory environment and facilitate the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars into rural energy and telecommunications infrastructure. He was appointed chair of the commission in 2007 and was re-elected to the commission in 2010. He changed gears in 2011 when he was asked to join then-governor Dennis Daugaard's administration as his chief of staff, resigning his post on the public utilities commission to take on the role. In that position, Johnson took on the responsibilities associated with a governor's chief of staff, including supervising cabinet secretaries, policy advisors and many of Daugaard's projects and initiatives. Johnson later resigned that position in 2014, when he took up his role at Vantage Point in Mitchell. He wouldn't return to politics again until 2018, when he won his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives after then-representative Kristi Noem announced she would not seek re-election to run for South Dakota governor. Johnson won that seat over Tim Bjorkman and two other candidates in the 2018 general election. His second campaign for the U.S. House also resulted in a victory with 81% of the vote in the 2020 general election. Johnson also won handily seeking his third term in the U.S. House. He came out on top again in both the primary and the general election, where he defeated Collin Duprel, a Libertarian candidate, with more than 77% of the South Dakota vote in the general election. The 2024 campaign was similar, with him taking 72% of the vote over Sheryl Johnson to secure his fourth and current term in Congress. As a member of the U.S. House, Johnson promotes himself as a "policy guy," according to his online biography. In that role he focuses on being knowledgeable and a value-added member on issues related to his committee assignments. Now in his fourth term as a U.S. representative, Johnson has served on a number of committees, including: * The Committee on Agriculture: Johnson has served on the Committee on Agriculture, where has applied his experience on rural America, agriculture, livestock and rural broadband. He was also named as chairman of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets and Rural Development subcommittee. He has had a hand in the regular five-year Farm Bill and maintains an interest in cryptocurrency, commodities and rural communities. He also serves on the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit. * The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: As a member of this committee, Johnson has focused his time on supply chain issues through ocean shipping reform, as well as highway, manufacturing and transit reform. The committee has jurisdiction over South Dakota-related issues such as railroads, aviation, pipelines, FEMA and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. He also serves on the Subcommittee on Aviation; Highways and Transit; and Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. * The Select Committee on China: Johnson has said he recognizes China as a multi-angled threat to American citizens, food security and national security. He has spearheaded efforts to prohibit purchases of American ag land and ag businesses by the Chinese Communist Party and banning TikTok on government devices. * The Republican Main Street Caucus: As chairman of this caucus, Johnson leads a group of pragmatic conservatives looking to pass "common sense solutions" in Congress. The caucus is dedicated to "getting things done" and is active in organizing support for bills. Other candidates who are expected to appear on the ballot for governor in 2026 include Republicans Jon Hansen and Toby Doeden and Democrat Robert Arnold. The South Dakota primary election is set to be held June 2, 2026, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Fox News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Rep Dusty Johnson launches bid for South Dakota governor
South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson, the state's sole member of the House, has announced a run for governor. Johnson is chair of the House GOP's Main Street Caucus and a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. He has served in Congress since 2019, following a job as vice president at a South Dakota-based engineering and consulting firm. Prior to his role as an executive, Johnson also worked as South Dakota Public Utilities commissioner from 2005 to 2011, during which he was appointed chief of staff to former Gov. Dennis Daugaard. The announcement, deemed by local media as a "formality" after Johnson was already rumored to run, came Monday at a campaign event and was paired with a video the representative shared on social media. "I's been such an honor to work for you in Congress. We rolled up our sleeves and got things moving in the right direction, cutting trillions in wasteful spending, standing with President Trump to secure our border and finally getting tough on China," Johnson said. "Those were important fights to build a better country for our kids, but their future doesn't begin in some far away place. It begins here, at home, in South Dakota. That's why we need to hit the gas and give them a clear path to a bright future." Following the announcement, criticism began popping up online that Johnson has not adequately supported President Donald Trump, and claims he is a "never-Trumper" are "lies of the desperate." "Here are the facts," Johnson told Fox News Digital. "Donald Trump has had me down to Mar-a-Lago. I've gone to the Super Bowl with President Trump. I donated $10,000 to his re-election campaign years ago. He endorsed me in my 2020 race. I was his state campaign chairman for his re-elect." Johnson added that he is someone who has "a long-standing, multi-year history of being a partner" with Trump. Johnson also said he has proven to be a "key ally" of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R–La., noting he was one of the members of Congress who "helped deliver the votes to get him elected speaker." On the fight in the Senate over the Trump-endorsed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Johnson said he supports the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives and expressed optimism it will get passed by the Senate by the GOP's self-imposed July 4 deadline.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Rep. Dusty Johnson announces he's entering race to become South Dakota governor
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota's lone member of the U.S. House, Republican Dusty Johnson, announced Monday that he will run for governor in the 2026 election, ending a six-year tenure in Congress and potentially facing off against the incumbent governor. Johnson's office issued a news release announcing his plans shortly before he was set to speak at a Sioux Falls hotel. Johnson has served as South Dakota's only congressman since 2019, succeeding Kristi Noem's congressional tenure, and has taken moderate stances during his time in Washington. He has supported antitrust legislation and opposed the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified the Supreme Court's federal recognition of gay marriage. He sometimes joined a minority of Republicans in voting against President Donald Trump, including when he voted to override Trump's veto of a measure that revoked his declaration of an emergency at the southern border. He was later one of 35 House Republicans who voted to establish a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Now the 48-year-old aims to become the first elected governor since Noem, who used her time in Pierre to build a national profile and draw attention to the small-population Midwest state. Noem has since become Trump's secretary of Homeland Security, leaving her position in January which was filled by current governor Larry Rhoden. Johnson is entering what could be a crowded Republican primary next June, competing against state Rep. Jon Hansen, an Aberdeen businessman who championed a landowner movement against a carbon capture pipeline. Johnson may also be challenged by Rhoden, though the latter has not yet announced a gubernatorial campaign. Johnson first entered public office when he was elected to be a public utilities commissioner in 2004 and became the youngest commissioner in the nation at age 28. He later served as chief of staff for South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard.
