SD Watch notes that as expected, Heidepreim is the new Senate Minority Leader

My friend Todd Epp noted today over at SD Watch that according to the Argus Blog, Scott Heidepreim is the new Senate Minority Leader:

The Argus Voices blog notes (Heidepriem takes over) that my fellow Democrats finally did something excellent and elected State Senator-elect Scott Heidepriem as Senate Minority Leader.

The Argus thinks this is odd and a poor reflection on the depth of Democratic talent. On the contrary.

What do I think this session holds from this new minority leader? Expect a minority who's main goal will be to trip up the majority. Whether it's through legislative maneuvering, or by playing a game of divide and conquer, their energies will be directed at coming out on top.

This means that if the Senator Majority wants to stifle their attempts, they're going to need to hold together.

The Senate of 2007 is going to be a vastly different atmosphere from the Senate of 2006. As opposed to an opposition caucus that worked with the administration on issues, I think a new Democratic Caucus led by Scott Heidepreim will be much more calculating. Don't take that as saying they're being sinister, as much as they will be a more politicized body.

I don't think there's a doubt in anyone's mind that Heidepreim as well as others seek a higher office at some point, so we will likely see Dems seeking the media spotlight more than we've been used to recently, and taking shots at the opposition if they think they make hay out of it.

Where does this leave the GOP Senate caucus?

Sure, a few will have to put hard feelings aside, and possibly bite their tongues when they'd rather let fly. But if they want to hold on to what they have, the key is presenting a strong and united front.

As opposed to the solid conservative core that would have been expected had such candidates as Latterell, Schwiesow, Johnson, Earley, and Klaudt prevailed, we're more likely to see a caucus leadership coalition built between the more moderate elements of the caucus and some of the more conservative. You're as likely to see an Apa or Greenfield in top leadership as much as you would a Dempster, McCracken, or Knudson. Those who seem to ably flow between (and be palatable to) both circles such as a McNenny or a Gray are almost guaranteed to speak as the voice of the Republican Senate Caucus.

One big thing I see if the caucus is to prosper is that they need to collectively determine what they want to accomplish, and to enumerate those goals. They might find it handy to make that a comprehensive statement of beliefs and philosophy and to run any legislation through that as a filter.

But it has to pass the muster of what they all agree to accomplish.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sheesh, now that's pathetic...a flip-flopping former "Republican" who jumped to being a Democrat is named the Democratic Party leader even before he's sworn in!?! now that's a sad commentary on the Democrats
Anonymous said…
flip-flopping millionaire trial lawyer/latte-sipper leading the Democrats--seems about right

good luck with Heideprim, the John Kerry of South Dakota politics...
Anonymous said…
this is great. when heidepriem successfully bilks a billion dollars out of taxpayers through his crazy lawsuit he can then move to appropriate the money as Senate leader for his own pocket!!! 1/3 of a billion is a lot...then heidprem can be the George Soros of South Dakota. this is a new low in using public office to raid the government treasury
Anonymous said…
Bitter, Bitterer and Bitterest,

Thanks for your posts. I wonder if you were the same morons predicting Dick Kelly's win. Probably so.

Heidepriem will lead the Democrats effectively for the same reason he won the election.

Democrats will continue to focus on issues that our state has some general agreement on.

Your party will continue to focus on abortion, gay marraige and abstinence only education. After last Tuesday, there sure is a lot more room left in your "big tent".

Great work.
Anonymous said…
The hatred for Scott on this blog is unbelievable. You aren't talking about the same person I know. He was an upstanding Republican legislator back in the day. I don't think he's changed. As he notes, his former party has changed, witnessed by these comments.

There is a reformulation of the parties and the citizens in those parties. Scott is but another example of that process.

And as to the school lawsuit, the lead attorney is Scott Abdullah, I believe. Scott is a good GOPer and his dad's credentials as a GOP are not bad either. There's another guy named Janklow in the firm who's related to the former governor.

And also, like it or not, the legal system is another way that change comes about in our society. Perhaps you heard that Amendment E went down in flames?
Anonymous said…
can some of yokels who don't actually live in Sioux Falls tell us who Heideprem is why he matters and why he switched parties?? some of us aren't as plugged in as you
Anonymous said…
whoever this guy is, it's clear there is going to be scorched earth all around him
Anonymous said…
to 8:29 Clear Lake Lad: Heiderpriem was a complete political whore for the Republicans for 20 years. When he finally figured out people were tired of him and he wasn't going anywhere, he quit the party and became Democrat because they will obviously take anyone who has a pulse. And see how it worked for him--since they have so little talent, Heiderpriem immediately became their leader. All you need to know is this--HE IS AMBITIOUS. He will run for Governor in 2010 or against Thune in 2010. It's guaranteed.
Anonymous said…
ye-ouch, i can see why he quit. so will governor heidepriem make Todd Epp Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? can Sibby get a fair trial? makes you go hmmm
Anonymous said…
all the usual liberal suspects of the Hildebrand/Daschle crowd were essentially running Heidepriem's campaign...the last thing these people are is nice, so just forget this whole Epp facade about "gee, Scott is the most saintly person i know." and don't forget that Heidepriem sent out a mailer attacking Kelly first
Anonymous said…
Heidepriem is now a Democrat eh? interesting. would have welcomed him in the moderate ranks of the GOP, which has lots of different people in it. But if he became a Democrat he must be off his nut...so long
Anonymous said…
the bozos who run the Republican Party in Pierre are responsible for this and deserve to have Hiedeprim hounding them. They were asleep at the switch and they let Dick Kelly get beat. They can now live with it.
Anonymous said…
I have a few questions for all. Why is Heidepreim's flip flopping (changing from R to D) bad and Leslie Unruh's flip flopping (having an abortion and now opposing it) good?

Also, why is okay for Scott Abdallah and Russ Janklow to be involved the lawsuit in lawsuit but not Scott?

What is wrong with sipping latte?

What is wrong with being a millionaire?

Finally, is it ever okay to change your position on an issue or issues?

Thanks.
Anonymous said…
Heidpreim was a "Republican" when he thought that would get him elected to national office, which is his burning ambition. Now he's a Democrat because he burned all his Republican bridges and thinks being a Democrat will get him elected to a big office...it's very simple. And the Democrats are big enough suckers/desperate enough to go along with it
Anonymous said…
You have to remember this about the state Democrats: they nominated a clown like Ron Volesky to be Attorney General! And they didn't nominate anyone for most of the constitutional offices. And their last-minute candidate for governor got trounced. All Heirdeprim had to do was walk in and they said "hey, will you be leader?? please?!"
Anonymous said…
Republicans are really freaking out about Heidepriem -- ha ha. Wait until he shows Pierre what real progressives will fight for! it will be Rounds worst nightmare and i'll love it
Anonymous said…
GOP spent over $100,000 on Dick Kelly and shorted everyone else. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Anonymous said…
Clear Lake lad, to further answer your question, Scott Heidepriem is also a guy who is willing to campaign anywhere, anytime. I've heard stories of him campaigning at funerals....walking around to the mourners saying, "I'm Scott Heidepriem," and then moving on to the next group and greeting them.

Yes, as 8:38 pointed out, Heidepriem truly is ambitious.

Ambitious and tasteless.
Anonymous said…
2:24. I heard that Mike Rounds likes to dance around in his underwear and listen to Milli Vanilli. Yep, same source as yours. Just as credible.
Anonymous said…
An interesting discussion coming from this post might be why is it so bad to be a millionaire if you're a Democrat? Last I checked, the Republican party thought that being a millionaire was a good thing, sort of made the whole trickle down economics thing work.

Seems to me if Scott Heidepriem is a millionaire, than good for him. Republicans thinks Steve Kirby walks on water for being a millionaire and he inherited his. Why the bitterness when Heidepriem actually earns his?

Good thing there's no law against hypocrisy.
Anonymous said…
Heidepriem inherited some of his and also has a rich wife so don't get so high and mighty
Anonymous said…
what i think is hilarious is how the Democrats used to trash Abdallah and Janklow and now they use them as examples of all that is holy and pure
Anonymous said…
nobody is more calculating and ambitious and Machiavellian and Hiedprim. I bet he finally schemes his way into higher office. I don't know who the Republican leader in the senate will be but he will have his hands full with all of Heideprim's antics
Anonymous said…
why don't the Republicans just add Heidepriem to the list of Democratic Senators to be tried and hanged at the upcoming special session. might as well get Heidepriem out of the way early.
Anonymous said…
7:38 Who's being high and mighty? I say good for Steve Kirby for being born a millionaire - he's done some impressive things with his money that have been good for SD's economy. I would never say anything bad about a person just because they have money. That's petty and - in Heidepriem's case - pretty hypocritical.
Anonymous said…
Actually its more than just hypocrtical. Its Sibby-esque.
Anonymous said…
remember: Dave Kranz/Argus/KELO-TV just LOVE Heidepriem
Anonymous said…
if you thought Daschle was a phony, you haven't seen anything yet...wait until you see Hiedpriem in action.

whose funeral was this?
Anonymous said…
yes, Hiedpriem is a millionaire because he's always suing people and making all of our insurance rates go up...i'm real proud of that!
Anonymous said…
i think heiepriem is peaking too early
Anonymous said…
I remember when Republicans called Democrats whiners. There isn't enough cheese in Wisconsin to go with all the whining on this post.

The louder you whine, the more wounded you seem? What do you miss most? Scott's legal abilities, his large contributions to your slush funds, chairing your committee meetings to prevent Democrats from seizing control, staying Republican long enough to give the illusion of a big tent party, his intelligence and insight, or his free legal services when you're stealing elections?

A guy doesn't stir up 30 venomous posts like this if it didn't really matter.

I've known Scott for many years from both sides of the wall. Glad he's over here. He'll make a fantastic Governor in 2010, about when you realize that Rounds' 2010 Initiative was just a hollow joke.
Anonymous said…
"A guy doesn't stir up 30 venomous posts like this if it didn't really matter."

How very true. The Republicans SHOULD be scared. Heiedepriem will win big and finally put down the theocrats in South Dakota who put church above everything else.
Anonymous said…
Maybe the reason that Kelly lost was because of his dirty, mudslinging campaign. Talking about Democrats nominating losers, what about the Republicans nominating Whalen. I didn't hear him say anything worthwhile, and he had no passion in his voice when he did speak.
Anonymous said…
Heidepriem has spent his entire adult life running, or plotting to run, for political office
Anonymous said…
i love it---the race for 2010 has started already! go Scott
Anonymous said…
Anon 9:48 PM said "the last thing these people are is nice...."
Do you read the vile things that some Republicans post on this site? Name-calling is par for the course for these people. Do you call THAT nice?
Anonymous said…
Todd Epp:
Nobody likes a traitor and a glory hog. If the Dems really wanted to work to get something done and if Scott really has higher aspirations, he should not have been chosen. I equate Scott as the Hillary Clinton in SD and if he thinks that being an eternal antagonist to Republicans is going to help him, he is sorely mistaken.
I don't hate Scott, I don't even know him and I certainly am not afraid of him.
Anonymous said…
Just a couple of more questions.
Why is it okay for John Thune to spend his whole life plotting to be U.S. Senator and its not okay for Heidepreim to plot to be Gov?

Also, why is it okay for Republican hero Ronald Reagan to flip flop his registration but not for Scott?

Thanks for your answers.
Anonymous said…
Ronald Reagan changed his registration long before he took political office.
If Scott wants to be Gov, more power to him. The people of SD don't take kindly to people who openly say they are moving their way up and the current office is merely a stepping stone. John Thune never said he was going to run for higher office when he was ED of the R party and never said when he was in the House he was going to run for Senate. People may assume that he did but he never uttered a word personally about it.
Anonymous said…
anon 8:36,
You are part right but leaving out much of the story as it related to Reagan. Reagan changed his party affiliation in 1962. He was elected Governor in 1967. I am not sure when Heidepreim made his switch but I am pretty sure it was about 5 years ago.
As for Thune it is clear you didn't hang around him in the late 80's and early 90's. John Thune has wanted to be Senator since at least 1986 when Abnor lost to Daschle. John was Abnor's protege.

My point is this. If one doesn't agree with Heidepreim's politics fine. All of the comments here sound like something from middle school. Can we at least talk issues?
Anonymous said…
Such venom. The bloggers who hate Heidepriem pique too early.

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