• State Senator Sue Peterson,
• State Senator Ernie Otten,
• State Senator Kevin Jensen,
• State Representative Tim Czmowski,
• State Representative Roger DeGroot,
• State Representative Leslie Heinemann,
• State Representative Jack Kolbeck,
• State Representative Brian Mulder,
• State Representative Keri Weems,
• Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen,
• State Representative-elect Terry Sabers,
• Republican Nominee for State Representative Fred Deutsch,
• Republican Nominee for Public Utilities Commissioner Don Haggar,
• Former Lincoln County Commissioner Betty Otten, and
• Lincoln County Commissioner-elect Joni Ekstrum.

Less for the IRS, More for You
By Sen. John Thune

 One year ago, on July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts into law. Thanks to this Republican tax relief bill, 97 percent of Americans who filed their taxes this year saw a tax cut. They saw larger tax refunds, smaller tax bills, and collectively saved $82 billion that they would have otherwise had to send to the IRS if not for the Working Families Tax Cuts – and that’s just the beginning of its impact.

At the heart of this bill was making Republicans’ 2017 individual tax relief permanent. Without action from Congress, the tax savings hardworking Americans have enjoyed since 2017 would have expired, and a typical family in South Dakota would have seen a $2,500 tax hike this year. That was unacceptable. Republicans were determined to prevent this tax hike, and more than prevent it, we made those lower rates permanent and delivered new tax relief that puts more money in Americans’ pockets.

The Working Families Tax Cuts delivers permanently lower tax rates across the board. After nearly doubling the standard deduction in 2017, the Working Families Tax Cuts made it permanent. And thanks to this bill, parents will benefit from an increase in the child tax credit to $2,200 per child, which is now linked to the cost of living so it never loses its value.

We also created a number of new tax relief provisions. The senior deduction helped more than 35 million Americans over age 65 reduce their tax burden this year. No tax on tips and overtime allowed workers to keep more of their hard-earned money – from waiters and waitresses to firefighters and factory workers. All told, Americans earning between $100,000 and $200,000 last year who took advantage of this new tax relief saw an average tax cut of $1,250.

The good news extends to small businesses, farms, and ranches too. Permanent pro-growth provisions in the tax code will help them invest more in their operations and employees – things like lower tax rates, the 199A small business deduction, and 100 percent immediate expensing. These permanent tax policies help free up cash for small businesses, encourage investment, and help them create more opportunity.

I’m also very proud that the Working Families Tax Cuts saves a lot more small businesses and family farms and ranches from the death tax by raising the exemption threshold. Family businesses, farmers, and ranchers who want to pass their operation on to the next generation can now breathe easier thanks to this bill, and they can avoid the costly estate-planning expenses that come with this unfair tax.

Republicans not only prevented a $4 trillion tax hike, we provided additional tax relief that puts more money in hardworking Americans’ pockets and offers more breathing room for family businesses, farms, and ranches. For the past year, the American people have been seeing the benefits of the Working Families Tax Cuts, and this story continues to unfold throughout our state and across the country.

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Weekly Round[s] Up: June 22-28, 2026

Back with another edition of the Weekly Round[s] Up! It was a full week here in Washington, D.C., with a packed schedule each day. I welcomed many South Dakotans to my office to discuss the issues that matter most to them. As I often tell constituents who visit, it’s important for South Dakotans to come to Washington and share their own experiences and perspectives because otherwise, someone else will tell their story for them. In addition to meeting with constituents, I attended several other meetings and briefings, spoke with witnesses at multiple hearings and cast 11 votes. President Trump also joined our Senate Republican lunch.

In addition, we continue to hear from South Dakotans who are having issues with mail delivery in South Dakota. As you may know, at my request, the Office of the Inspector General has opened an official investigation into South Dakota’s postal service. We have heard your comments and concerns, but I urge you to share them directly with the OIG as part of its official investigation. Click here to submit your comments. Here’s more on this past week in the Weekly Round[s] Up:

South Dakota Groups I Visited With: South Dakotans from the National Audubon Society; Randall Community Water District; South Dakota farmers with the Clean Fuels Alliance; and the South Dakota Music Education Association.

Additionally, I met with students from the Huron and Harrisburg areas. Early summer is always a busy time of year in Washington as school groups visit our nation’s capital. It’s especially meaningful to welcome students this year as our nation celebrates its 250th birthday.

Met With South Dakotans From: Avon, Brandon, Centerville, Geddes, Harrisburg, Hartford, Highmore, Huron, Lake Andes, Miller, Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Vermillion and White River.

Other Meetings: Lindsey Johnson, President and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association; Kent Walker, President and Chief Legal Officer of Google and Alphabet; Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Andrea Travnicek ; Dr. Christopher Phelan, nominee to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers; and Jason Droege, CEO of Scale AI.

I attended our weekly Senate Bible study hosted by Senator Steve Daines of Montana and I went to our weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast, hosted by Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. I also stopped by the West Point Cadet Reception hosted by Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

On Thursday, I spoke at the 2026 Disclosure Symposium, where I discussed the future of the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act. I am once again cosponsoring as an amendment to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.

Hearings: I attended three hearings this past week. On Tuesday, during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, I questioned Lindsey Johnson, President and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association. You can watch the full clip here.

On Wednesday, I attended a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing, where I questioned Mark Cruz, nominee to be Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Cruz visited my office for a meeting last week. Click here to watch the exchange.

On Thursday, I attended a second Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, where I questioned Dr. Christopher Phelan, nominee to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (who I also visited with in my office this past week). Click here to watch the exchange.

Briefings: I attended two closed briefings with the Select Committee on Intelligence this past week, in addition to one classified briefing as part of my work on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Legislation Introduced: June 24, 2026, marked the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning Roe v. Wade. This past week, alongside Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), we introduced the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2026. This legislation would establish a federal prohibition on dilation and evacuation procedures, commonly known as dismemberment abortions, in which surgical instruments are used to extract an unborn child piece by piece. Under this bill, physicians who knowingly perform these procedures would face fines and/or imprisonment of up to two years. Click the links to read the press release and the full bill text.

Votes Taken: I voted 11 times this past week. I voted in favor of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, along with 84 of my colleagues. This bicameral, bipartisan housing reform bill which will modernize rural housing programs and cut red tape has officially passed Congress.

I also voted on multiple nominees, including Darrell Owens, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the rank of Ambassador; John George Edward Marck, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas; Michael J. Hendershot, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio; Arthur Roberts Jones, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas; and Matthew A. Schwartz, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

Additionally, I voted against a resolution to block the Department of Education’s new federal student loan regulations, as well as two efforts to remove U.S. Armed Forces from Iran. Click here to read more about these votes.

Steps Taken: 59,739 steps or 27.02 miles.

My Staff in South Dakota Visited: Dell Rapids and Miller.

Survey Results: As some of you may have seen last week, I sent out a survey to my email list to get some feedback on what issues are most important to South Dakotans right now. Thank you to everyone who took time to share responses with me. Out of a long list of options, the top three issues were:

(1) Social security and Medicare
(2) Budget and deficit spending
(3) Health Care

We will try to share more information on each of these topics on future editions of the Weekly Round[s] Up!

I largely took last week off because I’m trying to get over the rotten summer cold I’ve had, I had a rummage sale to clear out some junk, AND I had family coming to town for the 4th of July. And wrote little to nothing in the meantime, so lots of things to catch up on!

• The SDGOP State Fair Building in disrepair, is in disrepair again.

The State Republican Party’s State Fair Building which has been under repair for the last couple of years is under repair again. As Beadle County Democrats pointed out, it did not fare very well in the July 3 storms that rolled through the community, at least having the front door blown in, if not suffering other damage.

• Minnehaha County GOP had some things to say about their Tom Pischke Problem.

The Minnehaha County GOP leadership had a few things to say about State Senator Tom Pischke’s conduct as of late, especially with regards to the charges brought against him for election fraud.  (Of course, it’s in an overly long letter.)

Pischke Final Communication by Board 7-3-26 PDF by Pat Powers

“As a result, the Minnehaha County GOP Executive Board is now calling for you to resign immediately from your position as State Committeeman as a member of our county Republican Party Executive Board. This action is not a determination of guilt. Rather, it recognizes that leadership within our Party carries responsibilities beyond those imposed by law. Core Republican principles have long advocated for election integrity, accountability and public trust in our institutions. Those principles must be upheld consistently and without exception. The integrity and credibility of our Republican Party must remain above reproach, and our members deserve representation that is free from circumstances that undermine public confidence.

Resigning at this time would allow the legal process to proceed without placing our Minnehaha County Republican Party at the center of your ongoing controversy. It would also demonstrate that the interests of the Party and the confidence of its members are greater than those of any one individual. Should you ultimately be exonerated, opportunities for future service can be considered at an appropriate time. Until then however, preserving the trust Republicans across Minnehaha County have placed in our Party must remain our highest priority.

As outlined here, the County GOP Executive Board therefore calls on you today to submit your resignation from your position as Minnehaha County’s State Committeeman and, in turn, from the Minnehaha County Republican Party Executive Board, effective immediately.”

Basically, the Minnehaha Co GOP wants his resignation from his local party positions because it’s kind of embarrassing.

• Pennington County workers have another day off from a cyber-attack, which is NOT affecting early voting. From the press release:

Pennington County is responding to a cybersecurity incident affecting portions of its network.

As a result, most public-facing County offices will be closed on Monday, July 6, while the County works to assess the situation and restore systems safely.

The following services remain operational:
-Critical life safety services, including 911 Dispatch, the Pennington County Jail, Juvenile Services Center, the Care Campus, and other public safety operations
-Court operations
-The 24/7 Program
–Early voting at the Pennington County Auditor’s Office from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-Vehicle registration services remain available online at my605drive.sd.gov and at self-service kiosks

At this time, the full scope of the incident is still being determined.

Pennington County is working closely with the South Dakota National Guard Cyber Incident Response Team, the South Dakota Fusion Center, the Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency, and other partners as the investigation continues.

Because this is an active investigation, there is very limited verified information available at this time. The County is committed to providing accurate information as it becomes available and expects to provide its next public update by 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6.

• SDWC has a new Advertiser in Advertiser’s Row. Welcome back Governor Rhoden!

We’d like to welcome the Rhoden for Governor campaign back to advertisers Row for the Month of July as Governor Rhoden – who has a press conference today in Sioux Falls – works to bring his campaign to the finish line 3 weeks’ time.   Please click on his web link, and support and don’t forget to check out other current advertisers including US Senator John Thune, Congressman Congressman Dusty Johnson, Senator Mike Rounds, Dakota Campaign Store, and more!

Remember, you can always drop me a note if you have questions or if I can hook you up with ad space!

Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Freedom
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
July 3, 2026

Here in South Dakota, we still honor America, our freedoms, and our Founding Fathers. Proof of that can be found in places like Mount Rushmore. The four leaders are carved in granite – the images of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt are built to last for generations. Their leadership will not be forgotten. More importantly, the principles, the values, and the freedoms they stood for carry just as much weight today as they did 250 years ago. Because of their vision, America is not just a piece of land. America is an ideal. A set of values. A shining City on the Hill. An example to the world of freedom.

One hundred years ago, President Calvin Coolidge said, as he commemorated the 150th anniversary of America:

“About the Declaration, there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776… and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning cannot be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just power from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward – but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people.”

Those are powerful words from a great leader who loved the Black Hills of South Dakota!

Six years ago, On July 3, 2020, we were joined by the same kind of leader, President Donald J. Trump. President Trump helped bring back fireworks to Mount Rushmore. And when he took office again, we got right back to work. Under the Trump Administration, the lines of communication with Washington are back open. Our state can partner with federal agencies and influence change at the highest levels with just a phone call. We have a President who puts the American people first – American safety first – and American freedom first.

My mission as Governor of South Dakota is to keep our state strong, safe, and free. Like America is to the world, South Dakota has been a beacon of hope for what is possible when we keep government limited – when we remain true to America’s values and our freedoms. Here, we recognize that our rights, liberties, and freedoms are given to us by God – not by government – and government has no authority to take them away.

America isn’t perfect. Lord knows that challenges will arise. But America has overcome challenges for 250 years and turned them into opportunities. And we will continue to do that by holding true to the ideals of the four men on Mount Rushmore. They stand as a testament to leadership. To courage. To bold vision. And to an unshakable belief in the protection of our freedom.

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Attorney General Jackley Announces Mike Durfee Prison Inmate Found Guilty of Possession of Illegal Substances

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a Mike Durfee State Prison inmate has been found guilty of one felony count of Possession of a Prohibited Substance by an Inmate and one felony count of Unauthorized Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Keith Hawk, 41, was found guilty Wednesday by a Bon Homme Country Circuit Court jury. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the Possession of a Prohibited Substance by an Inmate charge and a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the Unauthorized Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Because he is an inmate, the sentences for each charge may be doubled.

The crimes occurred Nov. 18, 2025. The substance involved was identified as K2.

Hawk will be sentenced Aug. 21, 2026.

The case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. The South Dakota Attorney General’s Office prosecuted.

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With the State Republican convention having come and gone, dakotawarcollege.com has a number of advertising spots now open and available to advertise your campaign or cause to the politically minded public as we move forward through the summer into the fall.

And where is everybody going to read about the latest in political news (and gossip)? Here at dakotawarcollege.com.

The election will bring many opportunities for advertisers to get their message out to “those in the know” of South Dakota politics and and community opinion leaders as we count the days until the next legislative session! You can also add those who regularly monitor the pulse of the process as readers and opinion leaders – whether they love this website or hate it – there are a lot of eyes available to get your message in front of.  Literally, thousands are clicking on this website daily for the latest in political news, gossip, and whatever else the state’s leaders are up to.

Advertisers – I have a limited number of spots open, and questions on ad prices, ad positions, and ad commitments may be directed to the webmaster by clicking here. There is space available at the moment, including spots #1, 2 and 3 on the right. Ads run in their position through the site, meaning they are not rotated, and are available on a first-come first-served basis. Discounts are provided for extended commitments.

Please don’t forget to check out our current advertisers including US Senator John Thune, Congressman Congressman Dusty Johnson, Senator Mike Rounds, Dakota Campaign Store, and more advertisers who will be posting soon.

Remember, you can always drop me a note if you have questions or if I can hook you up with ad space!

From Facebook, fresh off his nomination in an unopposed race for Attorney General, an endorsement for Gubernatorial Candidate Toby Doeden has been posted to Russell’s facebook group:

That’s a higher profile endorsement for Doeden in the few weeks until the runoff contest. As evidenced by his selection at convention, Lance holds significant sway with conservative activists within the party. Who have a tendency to vote no matter whether it’s rain or shine. And we’re facing new territory with July’s runoff election.

Hot out of my in-box, Governor Larry Rhoden is having a high-dollar fundraiser in Sioux Falls tonight to raise money for the campaign towards the runoff election, including a former Governor, another former Governor’s son, a former Lt. Governor, Denny Sanford, a number of former legislators, and high dollar donors from up and down I-29.. and well you can look at the list:

If you’ve got an extra $1000 or so for the suggested contribution, then go check it out.

Now, that’s an election that Republicans can be excited about!  Congratulations Christine!