Tag Archives: house

Varilek’s strong start

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Matt Varilek is looking good in the opening weeks of the race for the 2012 Democratic nomination for South Dakota’s lone House seat.

Varilek says he has raised more than $100,000, collected the endorsement of his former boss, Sen. Tim Johnson (which is not a surprise) and is touring the state making appearances and friends.

The former economic development director to Johnson is making his first bid for elective office. He wants to take on first-term Rep. Kristi Noem, a Republican from Castlewood.

Varilek’s odds for the nomination will grow if former Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin stays out of the 2012 campaign. So far, SHS has made no effort to run, disbanding her political organization and making few public appearances.

In an e-mail exchange I had with her this week, she said she has been busy traveling and spending time with family while also battling “nasty colds.” That sounds like a young mother dealing with a 3-year-old son, not a veteran politician gearing up for a run at a return to Congress.

We will soon see. Herseth Sandlin told me she will make a “final” announcement soon.

It may be very good news for Matt Varilek, or it could mean he’s in for a tough run for the party’s nomination. And fellow candidate Jeff Barth has dropped his earlier pledge to get out of the race if SHS jumps back in.

Barth, a Minnehaha County commissioner, doesn’t have the money nor does he have the backing of the most powerful Democrat in the state. But he is a proven candidate, having won a pair of elections in South Dakota’s biggest county.

Varilek and Barth shared the spotlight in Tyndall Thursday night, where they met with voters at an “old-fashioned Christmas party” hosted by state Rep. Frank Kloucek. It was an opportunity for Barth to be at the same level as Varilek as they compete for a chance to run against Noem.

They will likely stage a lively two-man race this winter and spring, unless SHS decides she wants a rematch, which seems unlikely. But we will soon know a lot more.

Mitchell, McGovern and memories

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George McGovern has returned to his hometown of Mitchell in recent years and is now a frequent sight in town. We see the world-famous politician, statesman and author at DWU, at the movie theater and at his favorite steakhouse.

After decades of politics and world travel, McGovern, 89, has reaffirmed his love for Mitchell. It shows in his latest book, “What It Means To Be A Democrat.”

In the slender book, McGovern discussed his beliefs on why Democrats have served America so well and how they can do more and better in the future. But he also shares stories from Mitchell throughout the book, which adds to its charm for local readers.

A personal favorite: McGovern and his wife Eleanor are dining at the home of some friends in Mitchell on Nov. 11, 1960, three days after he lost a hard-fought battle for the Senate to Karl Mundt. The phone rings and McGovern is told it’s for him.

The caller? President-elect “Jack Kennedy,” as McGovern refers to him, asking McGovern to come see him about a job in his administration.

McGovern is the best-known and most successful person to come from this small city on the prairie but as he shows in the book, he kept a lot of Mitchell with him through his life and journeys.

Here’s a link to my story on the book. McGovern, who is at his Florida house now, will return to Mitchell for the 2011 McGovern Conference on Nov. 14, where he will sign copies of the book.

The race is on for 2012

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Minnehaha County Commissioner Jeff Barth is serving milk and cookies as he kicks off his campaign for the Democratic nomination for the state’s lone House seat.

We know Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., will be the Republican candidate and the odds-on favorite. The Democrats are starting the process to pick a candidate to take her on and are unsure if former congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin will run for her old job in 2012.

Barth told me Monday there was no special meaning to the treat, saying he thought it was just a nice thing to do. It’s a far cry from the old days, when politicians and their supporters sipped drinks with a stronger kick.

He will tour the state this week and will be in Mitchell Wednesday to press the flesh during Corn Palace Festival week.

Barth is counting on his experience in office in the state’s most-populated county and his proven ability to win, including in 2010, not exactly a strong year for Democrats.

Here’s the Barth story, with a look at his life and career: http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/article/id/56126/

Meanwhile, Matt Varilek, a staffer for Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., is taking a long look at the race. He and his supporters are using a lot of new media tools to spread the word.

Varilek has yet to formally announce for the House. When I spoke with him Monday afternoon, he said he was strongly considering entering the race.

Later, he called back to say he had responded to the Facebook campaign to get him into the race. It has more than 500 “likes” and here’s a link: https://www.facebook.com/draftmatt

Varilek sure sounds like a candidate in this YouTube video he posted last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLHXtMHAMY4

Meanwhile, SHS, now a lawyer and lobbyist in D.C., is taking some time with family in Brookings. Will she run? Is a presidential election a good or bad year for a Democrat to run in South Dakota?

Would she serve ice cream and cake at her announcement? Will Varilek offer Rice Krispie bars? Stay tuned.

Noem is in da House

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U.S. Rep.-elect Kristi Noem will lose the word “elect” Wednesday. She’s about to become South Dakota’s congresswoman.

Noem, R-S.D., will begin her first two-year term in office at 11 a.m. CST when she takes the oath of office as the 112th Congress begins its work.

She defeated Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., who departs today after six and a half years as South Dakota’s lone member of the U.S. House.

Members of Noem’s family arrived in Washington for the ceremony, Noem wrote in a tweet Sunday. “For many of them, it is there first trip here,” she wrote.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., who was elected to a second term without opposition on Nov. 2, will also take the oath of office.

Noem also announced contact information for her Washington office and the location of her Sioux Falls and Rapid City congressional offices.

“Representing South Dakota starts with being accessible to South Dakotans,” Noem said.

“These offices are part of my commitment to be accountable to constituents across our state and to serve as their advocate with federal agencies.

“I encourage South Dakotans to visit these offices and make their voice heard on issues important to them or stop in if they have a question or concern with a federal agency,” Noem said.

Here is contact information for Noem:

Washington, D.C., Office

226 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, D.C., 20515

Phone: (202) 225-2801

Sioux Falls Office:

2310 W. 41st St., Suite 101

Sioux Falls, S.D., 57105

Rapid City Office:

343 Quincy St.

Rapid City, S.D., 57701

Thune wants to come home for holidays

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On the whole, Sen. John Thune would rather be in South Dakota, watching high school hoops.

Thune and I talked sports Sunday, with a bit of politics and government mixed in. The senator said his nephew plays for Roosevelt High School and he was hoping to watch him play last weekend.

But Congress has been flying high, despite its lame-duck status, and Thune and other senators and representatives have been stuck in Washington, D.C., instead of home with their families and friends.

Thune said he’s not sure when Congress will adjourn. He feels the Nov. 2 election sent a message that Americans were unhappy with the efforts of the current Congress and didn’t want more done.

Last year, the Senate met on Christmas Eve to pass the Obama health care bill. That dramatic day, which included Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., getting the infamous “Cornhusker Kickback” for his vote, may have led to the GOP tide this fall.

Maybe Republicans like Thune, who is strongly considering a run for president in 2012, should want the Democrats to keep passing laws. It might be a useful campaign tool.

This year, the senators hope to be home by the holiday weekend. However, Sen. Tim Johnson said he is prepared to stay in session until Jan. 4, the day this session of Congress ends, if there is business to conduct.

Should politicians keep their nose to the grindstone and get things done, or should they head home for the holidays?

To read my story on Thune’s thoughts on the lame-duck session, go to http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/article/id/48623/