Reynold Nesiba
@ReynoldNesiba
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Husband, Father, Grandpa, Brother, Uncle, Economist, Professor, Miniature Bernedoodle Guardian
Sioux Falls, SD
Joined December 2014
SD National Guard members signed up to serve our state and country, not to generate airtime for our Governor on Fox News or to be mercenaries for some wealthy donor. Our National Guardsmen and women are not professional soldiers for hire.
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SD has no money for pre-k education, our teacher pay is 47th in the country, we’ve lost over 1,900 to COVID, our needs-based grant brings us up to 25 percent of Minnesota, and the Gov’s priority is a failed trans female athlete bill in a state that has no trans female athletes?.
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South Dakota voters approved medical marijuana starting July 1, 2021 with 70% of the vote. It's our job as a legislature to make that happen.
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Why do so many young educated South Dakotans keep fleeing to Minnesota? Because their state government is aimed at improving the lives of young families and people have freedom to make their own healthcare decisions.
They can label me whatever they want if it means kids aren’t going hungry at school and women can make their own health care decisions.
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Will South Dakota ever be forward-thinking, kind and prosperous enough to do the same?.
In Minnesota, students are fed breakfast and lunch – no questions asked. It’s saving families thousands and making parents’ lives easier. That’s an investment I’ll defend every damn day.
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When the public pays for a report to be written, the public should get to read it. It’s our report and it should be released without delay.
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Lol. Noem advocated for and passed into law a bill that takes tax revenues from the sale of formula and baby food and uses it to cover the costs of enhanced concealed carry permits. She literally taxes food from high chairs and gives it to gun owners. Who’s the extremist here?.
I’ll say the same thing to this attack ad that I told my dog this morning:. “Oooh that’s a big stretch!”
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In February I asked the AG to investigate the Governor’s use of our state airplane fleet. This afternoon I finally received an answer. He’s sending my request to the Government Accountability Board. 1
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Will South Dakota ever be prosperous enough to allow our students and families to be as free as those in Minnesota?.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed a law guaranteeing free breakfast and lunch for all students in the state, regardless of how much money their parents make. Tens of thousands of food-insecure kids will benefit.
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@RepJamieSmith has worked to eliminate the sales tax on food for six years. Our Gov. has had four years to address this. My understanding is that the Senate killed repeal this year at her direction. So, why do you think she brought this up 41 days before the Election?.
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SD spends about $5 million from general funds on childcare and over $100 million on corrections. We have no early education council and spend NO general funds on Pre-K education. Our average teacher pay is 50 of 51st in the country. We care about moms? What would Orwell say?
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SD teacher pay is last in the nation. There’s no state money for pre-k. We tax life-giving food from peoples’ tables every day. She refuses to use federal dollars for $100 vaccine bonuses. Is this the best use of your tax money?
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Democrats are working hard for everyday South Dakotans. Unfortunately, we're vastly outnumbered in Pierre. Here's the current make-up of the state senate:.🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔵🔵🔵. We need more Democrats in the state legislature.
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Why would SD legislators—18 of 35 senators—sneak a proposed constitutional amendment on a low voter turnout June primary election? Surely they wouldn’t shred our constitution just to stop passage of Medicaid expansion on the ballot this November? (VOTE NO ON C!)
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How did Jason Ravnsborg get elected as South Dakota’s Attorney General? Kristi Noem and her party voted for him, campaigned for him, and supported him. Don’t blame me, I voted for Randy Seiler.
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Jamie is going to be a great SD Governor! He’s winning this debate on each and every question. He represents us and our SD values.
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In SD the state aircraft should never be used for personal or political travel
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It was wrong for our Governor to attempt to rent out our SD’s National Guard to a partisan political donor. She should:.* Cancel this deployment.* Return the donation
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It is not fiscally responsible to overtax people, especially taxes on baby formula. We have so many real deficits. More of our college students graduate with student loan debt than any other state. We are 50 of 51 in teacher pay and have a childcare & DOC staffing crisis.
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As a state senator, my constitutional duty is to be a check and balance to the governor. The people of South Dakota deserve to know the cost of her travel security and whether or not our state airplanes are being used lawfully.
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I’m glad the Governor’s back has miraculously recovered. Her character judgement appears to remain impaired. Is she taking our plane?
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Oh…CRT isn’t being used in SD at all. However, scaring people with this bill is a good way to distract from the lack of an early education council, the lack of dollars for Pre-K education, average teacher salaries at 50th in the country, and high debt levels for college grads.
Every single time I've asked the governor's office for any examples of CRT being used in the classroom I have been given one example: A professor speaking about CRT on a podcast. So, today I spoke with her. Turns out she doesn't use CRT at all.
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Happy 4/20! I support legalizing cannabis because a majority of SD voted in favor of it. This GOP governor and her party overturned the will of the people, just like they did with IM 22 in 2017. Don’t support candidates who don’t respect your vote.
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18 years ago this month I came to SD’s Capitol for the first time to testify in favor of a bill to eliminate the sales tax on food. Tomorrow my SB166F (as amended) will be up in Senate taxation to reduce our 4.5% state sales tax on food to zero. It’s time.
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The people of SD made it clear in 2006 (IM5) that the use of the state airplane should be limited to conducting state business. The AG’a ballot description even added the words “No Exceptions.” Would it be too much trouble to just respect the will of the people?.
Following the release of years of state plane travel logs, we’re getting a better idea of when and where Noem has flown during her time in office. For instance, records appear to indicate that the plane may have been used for a personal family function.
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#Vote. It appears that I have been re-elected to a fourth term in the SD State Senate. Thank you to all who made this happen. We are grateful.
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Yes I did.
A lawmaker has formally requested the state’s attorney general to determine whether Gov. Noem’s use of the state airplane to attend events hosted by political organizations violated state law.
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If the Governor were serious about inflation, why did she inflict 2% real pay cuts on every state employee? In a world of 8% inflation last year, she gave 6% cost of living adjustments and called them “raises.”.
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Would a patriotic education condemn the 1/6/21 treasonous attack on our Capitol? What would you include as part of a complete and balanced patriotic education?
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Perhaps we should have spent more COVID dollars telling folks about available rent and mortgage assistance and less advertising on tourism and encouraging even more folks to visit an overcrowded Custer State Park? (Did the Governor do any PSA’s on how to apply for these funds?).
The office of Governor Kristi Noem announced her support for sending $81.5 million of Emergency Rental Assistance back to the federal government, telling the U.S. Department of the Treasury that the people of South Dakota don’t need it.
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I think my Governor is trying to say, “THANK YOU President Biden and the Democrats who allocated $12 billion to SD. That’s over $13,000 per person. We will make once-in-a-generation investments! If it weren’t for your leadership we wouldn’t have huge budget surpluses.” #ARPA
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SD is #1 in the nation with the share of students graduating from college with student loan debt. It is disappointing to watch our Governor and her Republican colleagues advocate for reimposing the yoke of student loan debt on our SD families.
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Sioux Falls schools will begin denying snacks or any food to CHILDREN with lunch debts of $75 or more.
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Here’s what other conservative Republicans are saying about our SD Governor. This is why Jamie Smith is going to win.
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The SD Senate has adjourned. HB 1217 is dead regardless of what action the House may take.
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The Republican party in SD knows better than you. They will tell you what you can or cannot do with your body, tell your doctor what he or she should do for your child, and tell you how to parent. They do all of this in the name of freedom and liberty. Orwell warned us.
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My Governor today announced a ban on civics education and history grants.
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Jamie Smith is the real deal. He’s served in the state house for 6 years. With only 8 Democrats and 62 Republicans he figured out how to work across the aisle to get things done for SD. He will do the same as a OUR Governor. He also won’t misuse OUR plane.
I’ll be here, in South Dakota, working alongside you to solve real problems. That’s a promise.
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Important details often live in the middle of seemingly boring documents. Just look at page five of Senate Bill 64 which would allocate $5M dollars for a new airplane, primarily used for the governor. I will continue to draw attention to the ways we're spending state dollars.
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SD is the “freest” state in the nation? Is the Governor talking about workers? We are “free”from high wages—nurses, teachers, welders all make less. We are “free” of paid sick or parental leave for most workers, and “free”of any help from the state to help with childcare.
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Should we legalize recreational pot during this coming SD legislative session?.
Gov. Noem and a pair of lawmen challenged the legality of the ballot measure South Dakota voters approved last November.
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Honored to be a delegate representing South Dakota at the DNC Convention and pleased that Harris has already received enough pledged votes to secure the nomination.
South Dakota's delegates to the Democratic National Convention met tonight and unanimously endorsed VP Kamala Harris for the 2024 Democratic Presidential Nomination.
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The Governor says she cares about inflation. She could have helped SD families facing higher food prices by continuing enhanced federal SNAP benefits. Instead SD has lost over $70 million in federal aid because she prematurely ended benefits.
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SB 62 passed out of Senate Appropriations this afternoon. This $600 million investment in water, wastewater, and storm water will be the the largest in South Dakota history. This was possible today because of President Biden and the Democrats in the US House and the US Senate!.
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I’m voting for Lt. Col. @BrianBengs.
You can’t win if you don’t play. We have to stop ceding “red states” to Republicans. Perfect example: @BrianBengs for Senator of South Dakota. This man has everything it takes to win. Check out our conversation!.
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SD Republicans have three key education bills this session. 1), ban transfemale athletes, 2) make sure education receives a cost of living increase below inflation, & 3) ban collective bargaining for all school district employees. We deserve better.
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Vote NO on C on SD’s June Primary election ballot. In FY23, 86% of general funds, 78% of federal fund expenditure authority, and 88% of other fund expenditure authority was passed by a SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE. Why should the people of SD be held to a higher standard? VOTE NO.
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The SD Democratic Senate Caucus unanimously elected the following slate for Democratic Senate Leadership:. Minority Leader,.Sen. Reynold F. Nesiba; .Assistant Minority Leader, Sen. Elect Shawn Bordeaux;.Minority Whip Sen. Elect Liz Larson
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I keep hearing that the SD economy is so great, yet we can't figure out how to provide school breakfasts and lunches to our kiddos?.
*Staring wistfully from South Dakota*.
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For SIX years Jamie Smith has been advocating for a reduction or elimination of the state’s share of the sales tax on food. SIX weeks before the election our Governor agrees. She has had four years, and supermajorities in both houses, to address this, but she’s mostly been ✈️ .
Gov. Noem stood in a grocery store on Thursday and made a promise to push for a repeal of the state sales tax on groceries, if re-elected. While it is a new public cause for Noem, members of the state legislature have been attempting to pass it for years.
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The blurb pictured is from my response to questions from The Dakota Scout, October 13-19 p. 14. @RepJamieSmith is my favorite elected official serving in office anywhere right now. Here’s why.
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55% of South Dakota voters in 2006 voted to limit the use of the state airplane to state business. It’s our airplane! ✈️ The people have spoken. Respect the vote on that and on marijuana too while you’re at it.
GOP responds by saying Democrats are on a "baseless witch hunt'
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SD has a population of about 895,000. Since the beginning of the pandemic we’ve been allocated over $12 billion in federal aid to individuals, cities, counties, schools, and the state. 12,000,000,000/895,000= $13,407 per person. Perhaps this explains our strong tax revenues?.
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There’s so much we could do to enhance pre-k, K-12, and higher education in SD. Yet the SD GOP’s highest educational priority appears to be preventing trans kids from participating in sports.
SD State Sen. Reynold Nesiba slams Gov. Kristi Noem after she signs an anti-trans athlete bill, noting that the GOP-controlled state:. -- Doesn't fund early childhood education.-- Ranks 50/51 on teacher pay.-- Is #1 for college students graduating with debt
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SD is only state with no early education council and one of a handful with no state money for Pre-k. We have a childcare crisis. Teacher pay average is 50th of 51 states. We are #1 in share of students graduating with student loan debt. We tax food to subsidize gun owners.
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I voted NO and urge you to vote NO on C. It ends majority rule. All their ads talk about raising taxes. However, the main object of the bill is limiting spending. 80% of state spending is done with a majority vote. Why do they want to hold THE PEOPLE to a higher standard?.
Gov. Kristi Noem says she's voting for Amendment C, but isn't publicly endorsing the proposed ballot measure that would raise the bar for citizen-initiated increases on taxes and government spending.
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Jamie Smith wants us to work together to address SD’s problems. He is a unifier,not a divider. He’s a listener, not a lecturer. He cares about us as a state, not about any future political career. He’s going to be a great Governor.
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@DakotaStandard @dkwalkerwalker Is she running for President? She said Joe Biden more time than South Dakota last night. She sure was happy to take all $3 billion in ARPA dollars and not even say thank you for his or his party’s leadership that has been so beneficial to SD.
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Jamie Smith can win with your help!! Analysis: Governor's debate; Early SDSU Poll results say race is statistically even | SDPB
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We tax food from children’s tables and formula out of their bottles, pay our teachers little more than Mississippi (poorest state in the country), refuse to properly compensate state employees putting our DOC staff and inmates at risk, and then the GOP says “woo hoo” surplus.
Conditions good for another SD budget surplus
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The SD constitution, Article 11 section 8, says that the motor fuel tax shall be used exclusively for the construction, maintenance, and supervision of our roads. Are these funds used to pay for out-of-state security services for the Governor in violation of our constitution?.
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Does anyone else think that hosting this insurrectionist at the Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls today is inconsistent with the ideals of the American Legion, VFW, and our active duty military?
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Just to be clear, I trust and stand with Rep. Duba. When bills fail in the SD legislature it’s because the Republican caucuses killed them. If we don’t get a cut in the sales tax on food, it is because the GOP stopped it.
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Why do SD nursing grads leave SD? Not only does Minnesota pay its nurses $10 more an hour on average than SD ($37 vs. $27—that’s $74,000 vs. $54,000), MN also has a much higher vaccination rate which makes it safer for nurses to work there.
With over 70% of Minnesota adults vaccinated, our state has made strides in tackling this pandemic. But we are not fully out of the woods, and we cannot let up on the progress that we have made. Tell your friends and loved ones to get vaccinated.
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Republicans just cannot stand a fair fight. In SD Rep. Jon Hansen changed the rules on initiated measures. As we predicted, his ilk are now harassing people to prevent the restoration of female bodily autonomy. Let the people vote! .
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State law—passed by the people—says the state airplane can only be used for state business not for personal or political use. Was this a campaign event in Sturgis? What state business was done in Denver on the 18th requiring the state airplane?.
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Raise your hand if you're voting NO on Amendment C! Protect majority rule.
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Just skip to 4:17 and watch for 30 seconds. Of all of his years in Congress, this is SD Senator John Thune's most memorable speech. Notably, it is delivered without saying a word. What do you think is going through his mind?.
This previously unseen footage shows Congressional leaders—both Republicans and Democrats—as they were taken to a secure location during the January riot. Everyone involved was actively working to address the violence. All of them did what President Trump refused to do.
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SD spends only about $5 million from general funds on childcare and over $117 million on corrections. We have no early education council and spend NO general funds on Pre-K education.
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State employee salaries are available at Open SD at Yes good people of SD, Mr. Fury is paid $144,610.50 per year—$5,000 more than we pay Governor Noem. Have we received our money’s worth this week given his communications expertise?
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We budgeted more to buy her a new plane than it will cost us to expand Medicaid for the next five years. How much did we spend on OUR television studio that only she uses?.
From state plane use to lavish upgrades to the Governor’s mansion, Kristi Noem's excessive spending is nothing but an attempt to boost her personal brand. Taxpayer money should benefit the people of South Dakota, not Noem's self-interest.
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Jamie Smith is kind, empathetic, and listens to his constituents. He will be an excellent SD Governor. No one who knows Jamie and has worked with him hates him. He’s among the best humans on the planet and he makes those around him better people.
I’d like to point out that this has yet to be refuted publicly by the Noem campaign and I have been informed that a reporter asked them about this and they declined to comment. If it wasn’t real, they could have just denied it!.
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If SD spends $10 million over five years we would receive about $1.4 billion. That’s a 1-to-140 match! 40,000 fellow South Dakotans would gain access to healthcare thereby enhancing revenues for rural hospitals and improving the health of our workforce.
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In August of 2020 Governor Noem and Mayor TenHaken wrote to the Smithfield CEO and asked them to close their South Dakota pork plant due to coronavirus for 14 days. I’m disappointed the press just repeats the Governor’s words without factchecking.
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So we used general funds to pay for this? In SD we have a state sales tax on baby formula, baby food, and milk. Did we actually tax food from the high chairs of babies to pay for a political stunt at the southern border?.
ICYMI: We sued for records and found out SD Governor Kristi Noem's stunt deployment of the South Dakota National Guard to the Texas border cost $1,451,699.59.
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“We have employees in our school districts that are being told that they have to turn kids away. Hungry kids struggle to learn. So, we should address that. For less than $40 million a year we could provide breakfast and lunch for all kids,” Nesiba said.
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Since 2004, a bipartisan coalition has been advocating for the reduction or elimination of the sales tax on food and food ingredients—like those paid on baby food, infant formula, SD beef, milk, and bread. Can we finally take ONE PERCENTAGE POINT off the food tax next session?
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The side-by-side comparison makes a strong point. Our schools beg for contributions of basic supplies while our state troopers compete in a best looking cruiser contest. Got priorities?.
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Jamie Smith is among the best men I have encountered. He’s kind, empathetic, smart, and deeply committed to his home state of South Dakota. He will be a great Governor.
Senator Troy Heinert is kicking off the special announcement by Jaime Smith. It’s rumored he’s announcing a run for Governor.
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In America, juries of ordinary people listen and consider the evidence. If they all agree—and only if they all agree—a defendant is convicted. No one is above the law. Sen. Thune twice failed to impeach this convicted felon. Noem’s desperate devotion to this criminal is just sad.
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SD, can you imagine how much pain and suffering we could have avoided had we simply elected Randy Seiler as AG when we had the chance?.
Read the 22-page report here.
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I oppose the governor's plan to merge the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources.
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I’m deeply disappointed at the passage of HB 1217 on the senate floor this afternoon. It is at odds with my faith, belief in science, understanding of subsidiarity with respect to the SDHSAA, and it’s bad for business. Here’s the vote sheet. Governor Noem is expected to sign it.
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It’s not even the fifth worst thing she has done. What other actions do you believe were worse than this?.
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Thank you @SecretaryPete! SD is grateful for the over $1 billion in investment from ARPA that was passed by Democrats only in Congress and which will have a positive effect here for decades to come. The infrastructure and jobs act will also be great for SD including fixing roads.
We awarded the South Dakota DOT over $60M to reconstruct nearly 30 miles of I-90 in McCook and Minnehaha Counties, reducing detours and making travel safer on our nation’s longest highway.
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Passing bills that lead to litigation and will likely lead to NCAA tournaments in the state being cancelled is not helpful to women athletes.
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I was at USD last night in the dome and in the union most of the day today. Everyone, legislators, staff, SB 55 task force members wore masks unless they were eating and drinking at a social distance. No one needed to be told. This is what considerate people do.
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I hope … the absurdity of that image of teachers on their hands and knees in the middle of a hockey rink, trying to grab money, brings attention to the education funding needs that exist here in Sioux Falls, across South Dakota and across the U.S.
S.D. teachers competed for $1 bills on a hockey rink. Critics called the game "terrible" and "dehumanizing."
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States are redistricting. In South Dakota we appropriated funds and purchased software that allows the public to draw their own legislative maps. Today GOP committee members voted to deny the public—including other legislators—from having access to their data and software.
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Will SD’s Republican Governor and supermajority legislature spend the $40 million per year to make breakfast and lunch free for every public school child in SD?
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This is a big deal for South Dakota farmers. For years they have argued that they deserve a "right to repair" their tractors and combines without equipment makers threatening to end their warranties. Thank you @POTUS Biden!.
When you own a product, you should be able to repair it yourself. That’s why I included support for the “right to repair” in my Executive Order. Now, companies like Apple and Microsoft are changing their policies so folks will be able to repair their devices themselves.
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Welcome to MAGA Republican America. Freedom is on the ballot. We still have the power to avoid this future, but you’re going to have to go vote.
MAGA Republicans want women arrested for having an abortion. This is what that looks like. #LockHerUp
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Gov. Noem, June 8, 2020, “If you want freedom, personal responsibility, and a government that works for you rather than dictates to you, South Dakota is the place to get it.” But if you pass a bill to enhance your freedom I will work to overturn it.
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South Dakota Democratic Party leaders call for state comms chief's removal from office via @argusleader.
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SD Governor Noem passed up $7+ million of summer federal assistance that 35 other states have accepted. It would have given kids receiving free and reduced lunches an extra $40 per month this summer to reduce hunger across the state. Instead, we see this.
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Got freedom from school lunch debt? Minnesota does. Freedom works there.
Minnesota will provide an estimated $388 million in a two-year state budget to provide one free breakfast and one free lunch to all students, with no income guidelines.
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SD Senators Thune and Rounds Oppose Federal Marijuana Decriminalization Push and thereby demonstrate they are out of step with the people they are paid to represent.
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