Never has there been a clearer contrast in philosophy between the two major parties at the federal level as the next election approaches, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said Friday in Huron.

“What they believe in is government,” he said of Democrats who now control Congress. “We believe in freedom.”

Jobs and the economy are two issues Americans care most about, he said at the Beadle County Lincoln Day dinner.

“They’re offering up more spending, more taxes, more borrowing, more debt and possibly a punishing energy tax,” Thune said. They are themes he and other GOP lawmakers have been hammering on since President Obama unveiled his 2011 budget a month ago.

The senator shared the speaker’s podium with 10 GOP candidates for six constitutional offices in South Dakota as well as eight Republican candidates for governor and the state’s lone House seat.

Republican voters will choose their nominees for the House and gubernatorial races in the June 8 primary election. The governor’s post is open because Gov. Mike Rounds cannot seek a third term, and the GOP is fielding a healthy slate for the seat held by Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin because the party is confident many incumbent Democrats like her are vulnerable.

Delegates to the South Dakota Republican Party Convention – set for June 24-26 in Huron – will select which candidates for constitutional offices they want to be on the November general election ballot.

Term limits for incumbents in the posts of state auditor, treasurer and secretary of state have brought out multiple candidates for each. Incumbents in the school and public lands and public utilities commission races are unopposed, as is a recent appointment for attorney general who is seeking a full term.

In his remarks, Thune said small business owners are reluctant to take steps to grow their companies because of so much uncertainty.

“How can we invest when there’s this cloud hanging over the economy?” he said.

Thune is critical of Democratic attempts to use the reconciliation maneuver to pass health care reform. The process only requires 51 Senate votes instead of 60.

“They still want to drive this thing through in defiance of the will of the American people,” he said.

The plan would create 70 new programs, raise taxes $500 billion in the first 10 years, cut Medicare by the same amount, raise insurance premiums for most Americans and drive up health care costs, he said.

Republicans believe it would be better to do nothing, Thune said.

But Americans are also worried about the national debt when 43 cents of every dollar is borrowed, he said.

“To me, we cannot allow that trend to continue,” Thune said.

The administration has attacked Republicans for the same thing when they were in control.

“Frankly, we didn’t do as good a job as we should have,” Thune said. “We spent too much, we borrowed too much. But these guys make us look like pikers.”

Democrats, driven by the political left, aren’t recognizing terrorists as enemies of the United States, he said.

“We ought to be treating them as enemies, as unlawful enemy combatants, rather than as ordinary criminals with access to the court system and our constitutional rights,” Thune said.

Just as past generations squared off against communism and Nazism, “we have to be willing to confront the threat,” he said.

Thune is seeking re-election, but so far is unopposed.

Other candidates, who were limited to a few minutes each, included:

Public Utilities Commission: Dusty Johnson, running for re-election. Too much bad regulation is going on in Washington, D.C., and it’s pushing a political agenda rather than looking out for ratepayers, he said.

Attorney general: Marty Jackley, running for a full term after being appointed to fill the seat when Larry Long became a judge. As U.S. attorney for more than three years, the office did a lot of consumer protection and prevention work. Lawyers did a record number of cases, but kept within their budget, he said.

School and Public Lands commissioner: Incumbent Jarrod Johnson runs the smallest state office. He is urging Republicans to get behind their candidates.

Auditor: Linda Miller and Steve Barnett are running for an open seat. Miller, the wife of former Gov. Walter Dale Miller, has 20 years’ experience as a state employee. State workers remain dedicated to their jobs even though they have not had a raise for two years, she said. Barnett, the grandson of the late legislative icon Joe Barnett, has been working for Thune in his Aberdeen office.

Treasurer: Rich Sattgast is seeking the treasurer’s post after being term limited as auditor, and Mike Melhaff Sr., deputy for term-limited treasurer Vern Larson. Sattgast said he is a proven candidate who would have the same dedication as he has had as auditor. Melhaff said he has Larson’s endorsement.

Secretary of state: Teresa Bray, deputy to term-limited Chris Nelson; Rep. Tom Deadrick, R-Platte; and Sen. Jason Gant, R-Sioux Falls. The office has an excellent reputation of conducting elections correctly, Bray said. Deadrick wants to continue the integrity of the office and register out-of-state corporations here like Delaware does. Gant has introduced many bills affecting the secretary of state’s office.

U.S. House: Rep. Kristi Noem, R-Castlewood; Rep. Blake Curd, R-Sioux Falls; Chris Nelson and Tarn Viera, who was not in attendance. The candidates criticized Herseth Sandlin for a voting record that is not representing South Dakotans and giving them a voice.

Noem said she has been in a leadership position in Pierre and can build consensus. Curd said every baby born today immediately carries $46,000 in debt. America can’t liberate other countries and promote democracy until it has its fiscal house in order, he said. Nelson is running a campaign focusing on fiscal responsibility, a smaller federal government and opportunities for economic prosperity.

Governor: Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard, Sen. Gordon Howie, R-Rapid City; Ken Knuppe, Scott Munsterman and Sen. Dave Knudson, R-Sioux Falls.

Daugaard was attending a family funeral in Omaha and was represented by his daughter, Laura Mitchell, who said her father has instilled the values of smart spending, hard work and planning for the days ahead in his children and will run the state the same way. Howie, the Tea Party candidate, said state spending must be held to last year’s level. A West River rancher, Knuppe said he loves the morals and values of the state and said government must live within its means.

Munsterman said he inherited a structural deficit when he became mayor of Brookings, but overcame it. People are sick of politics and want leadership, he said. His three cornerstones are fiscal, strategic and political leadership.

Knudson said these are challenging times for South Dakota. With a $40 million deficit this year and a projected $100 million deficit in 2011, he said the state needs its best and strongest leaders. He and other GOP legislative leaders outlined a plan to reduce spending by $52 million last week.

For the complete article see the 03-07-2010 issue.

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