The most influential Republican Women in South Dakota politics
Sorry for the ultra-light posting today. I just got back from Brookings on my house hunt, and made an offer that was actually accepted. Now, I just have to sell a kidney to pay for it.
I was originally going to do a discussion topic on the hottest women in SD politics, kind of a" girls gone wild" thing. Unfortunately, that was going to be way over the top in terms of offensiveness. I'm probably just a big chicken, since 5 of my 6 children are girls, and I really don't want to hear about that one from my wife. I can hear her saying "You're photoshopping who's head on a bikini model...?" I'd like to avoid her casting me out of the house to sleep in the yard, in an attempt to expose me to West Nile.
Probably the better topic is which ladies among the Grand Old Party's membership exert the most influence over the party today, and who are the serious up and comers? Now, please don't think I'm coming on this from a misogynistic point of view. Far from it. I'd like to have more involvement from South Dakota Republican Women at the electoral level.
So, Who are the most influential Republican Women in South Dakota Politics? (In no particular order)
#1 - State GOP Vice-Chair Elli Schwiesow. As decent and kind-hearted a person as you'd ever meet, Elli has a solid political instinct, as well as conservative credentials that many would envy. This recent head of the South Dakota Republican Women is one of the movers and shakers in the state party's outreach to the Indian Reservations. An outreach that didn't hurt John Thune's election chances in 2004. Look for Elli to continue that work in anticipation of 2006.
Elli isn't afraid of a tough battle, either. Taking on Stan Adelstein in a State Senate primary and holding her own in that race is clear evidence of that. I'd watch for her to make another run at the legislature someday soon.
#2 - Phyllis Heineman. For a fairly soft-spoken person, Phyllis is quite sought after. A stint as a teacher early in her professional career hasn't hurt her rising star, either. Please take notice of her position as Chair of the House Education Committee. In fact, she's a bit of a draw for candidates wanting some of that star power to rub off on them. Watch for her to appear in more candidate commercials in the next round of elections.
#3 - Barb Everist. The 800-pound gorilla in this group is actually a small, petite attorney. Barb is very personable and unassuming. Oh, yeah... Her husband was one of those Bush presidential campaign fundraising 'rangers', too. A former State Senate Majority Leader, despite being absent from office for a few years, she has the same pedigree that took Mike Rounds to the top.
More so than anyone on the list, she has the ability to take on a statewide race and win. I'd argue that Barb is one of those few Republicans in South Dakota today who could take on Tim Johnson and give him a hard fought run in 2008.
#4 - Shantel Krebs. In the year after her defeat in the 2002 primary by Ron Williamson and Matt McCaulley, Shantel didn't keep still. She kept active in the party, and rose through the Minnehaha County GOP's ranks, until 2004 when she gave it another run and pulled out a win in a three-way primary. You all know her husband Mitch - KSFY's News Director. While he may have taken a vow of political chastity, just flowing in those social circles gives Shantel media insight and savvy that many candidates don't have. Watch for her to continue up the ranks.
#5 - Deb Peters. Her voters chose her over the incumbent, and she's probably the most talked about freshman legislator in the capitol. Her intelligence, her willingness to ask tough questions, and her skills in accounting might just make her the next Jan Nicolay on the appropriations committee. And that's high praise indeed.
Speaking of Jan Nicolay.... Jan who left the Legislature several years back can still send waves through the State GOP by resigning from the party's executive board over issues of principle. And her recent appointment as a member of the State Board of Education might just fan that spark of political interest into a burning flame again and bring back one of the smartest legislators ever in South Dakota politics.
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I'd also like to thank PUC Commissioner Dusty Johnson for the nice note he sent on the SD War College. Dusty has the enviable position as the State Teenage Republican Camp Director who has the opportunity to mold and instruct fresh-eyed new GOP operatives.
Eventually, they get to be jaded, aging political hacks like me. I only have about a year and a half before I can't be a member of the Young Republicans anymore. I'm already filling out my application for the "Old Republicans."
I was originally going to do a discussion topic on the hottest women in SD politics, kind of a" girls gone wild" thing. Unfortunately, that was going to be way over the top in terms of offensiveness. I'm probably just a big chicken, since 5 of my 6 children are girls, and I really don't want to hear about that one from my wife. I can hear her saying "You're photoshopping who's head on a bikini model...?" I'd like to avoid her casting me out of the house to sleep in the yard, in an attempt to expose me to West Nile.
Probably the better topic is which ladies among the Grand Old Party's membership exert the most influence over the party today, and who are the serious up and comers? Now, please don't think I'm coming on this from a misogynistic point of view. Far from it. I'd like to have more involvement from South Dakota Republican Women at the electoral level.
So, Who are the most influential Republican Women in South Dakota Politics? (In no particular order)
#1 - State GOP Vice-Chair Elli Schwiesow. As decent and kind-hearted a person as you'd ever meet, Elli has a solid political instinct, as well as conservative credentials that many would envy. This recent head of the South Dakota Republican Women is one of the movers and shakers in the state party's outreach to the Indian Reservations. An outreach that didn't hurt John Thune's election chances in 2004. Look for Elli to continue that work in anticipation of 2006.
Elli isn't afraid of a tough battle, either. Taking on Stan Adelstein in a State Senate primary and holding her own in that race is clear evidence of that. I'd watch for her to make another run at the legislature someday soon.
#2 - Phyllis Heineman. For a fairly soft-spoken person, Phyllis is quite sought after. A stint as a teacher early in her professional career hasn't hurt her rising star, either. Please take notice of her position as Chair of the House Education Committee. In fact, she's a bit of a draw for candidates wanting some of that star power to rub off on them. Watch for her to appear in more candidate commercials in the next round of elections.
#3 - Barb Everist. The 800-pound gorilla in this group is actually a small, petite attorney. Barb is very personable and unassuming. Oh, yeah... Her husband was one of those Bush presidential campaign fundraising 'rangers', too. A former State Senate Majority Leader, despite being absent from office for a few years, she has the same pedigree that took Mike Rounds to the top.
More so than anyone on the list, she has the ability to take on a statewide race and win. I'd argue that Barb is one of those few Republicans in South Dakota today who could take on Tim Johnson and give him a hard fought run in 2008.
#4 - Shantel Krebs. In the year after her defeat in the 2002 primary by Ron Williamson and Matt McCaulley, Shantel didn't keep still. She kept active in the party, and rose through the Minnehaha County GOP's ranks, until 2004 when she gave it another run and pulled out a win in a three-way primary. You all know her husband Mitch - KSFY's News Director. While he may have taken a vow of political chastity, just flowing in those social circles gives Shantel media insight and savvy that many candidates don't have. Watch for her to continue up the ranks.
#5 - Deb Peters. Her voters chose her over the incumbent, and she's probably the most talked about freshman legislator in the capitol. Her intelligence, her willingness to ask tough questions, and her skills in accounting might just make her the next Jan Nicolay on the appropriations committee. And that's high praise indeed.
Speaking of Jan Nicolay.... Jan who left the Legislature several years back can still send waves through the State GOP by resigning from the party's executive board over issues of principle. And her recent appointment as a member of the State Board of Education might just fan that spark of political interest into a burning flame again and bring back one of the smartest legislators ever in South Dakota politics.
------
I'd also like to thank PUC Commissioner Dusty Johnson for the nice note he sent on the SD War College. Dusty has the enviable position as the State Teenage Republican Camp Director who has the opportunity to mold and instruct fresh-eyed new GOP operatives.
Eventually, they get to be jaded, aging political hacks like me. I only have about a year and a half before I can't be a member of the Young Republicans anymore. I'm already filling out my application for the "Old Republicans."
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