Lawrence: Chairman Randy Seiler said he is optimistic about SD Democrats in 2022

The South Dakota Democratic Party has a lot of candidates to recruit in the next year.

Chairman Randy Seiler said he is optimistic the Democrats can compete in numerous races. Seiler said the party is “energized” and feeling better about its chances. He credits Gov. Kristi Noem for that.

There is a lot of work to do and there are many races to run. Noem and Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden will seek second terms, unless Noem wants to switch partners. There has been no indication she won’t stick with Rhoden, a former District 29 legislator.

In addition, Sen. John Thune will almost assuredly seek to become the second South Dakota senator to win four terms. Thune recently told Politico he isn’t ready to announce yet, but I am told the odds are greater than 99% he will run again.

U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson will seek a third term as he bides his time, waiting for a Senate seat or the governor’s chair to open up. Dusty has climbed the political ladder for most of his adult life and isn’t about to stop now.

Then there are the constitutional offices: secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, state auditor, public lands commissioner and public utilities commissioner.

The Democrats do not hold a single one of these offices, all elected on a statewide basis. Seiler, a former U.S. attorney, ran a strong race for attorney general in 2018, losing to the much-less-qualified Jason Ravnsborg. That was a political bad turn down a deadly road that most voters would likely take back now.

Seiler said he considered running again, but almost certainly won’t since former AG Marty Jackley, a close friend, has announced a campaign to recapture his old job. It’s hard to see the South Dakota Republican Party choosing to endorse Ravnsborg for a second term in the wake of his fatal crash and criminal charges.

Still, someone needs to run for attorney general and all the other offices. There is a lot of recruiting to do as the 2022 campaign approaches.

The last time a Democrat won a statewide race was in 2008, when U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson claimed his third term, and U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin earned her third full term. Barack Obama was elected president and ran surprisingly strong in South Dakota.

The party's future seemed bright. But, in fact, disaster and defeat were ahead.

Herseth Sandlin lost to Noem in 2008, and Johnson retired due to ongoing health concerns rather than running again in 2014.

The Democrats also will try to find candidates for 105 legislative races. They are badly outnumbered in Pierre, with the GOP holding a 62-8 edge in the state House of Representatives and a 32-3 stranglehold on the state Senate.

Still, Seiler said things are looking up after yet another rough patch for the Democrats. He said they have offices open in both Sioux Falls and Rapid City and have two paid staffers to assist him.

He also said Noem has helped her political opponents by the manner in which she has governed, while campaigning for other candidates across the country and, likely, for her own national ambitions.

Seiler said the party considers Herseth Sandlin; Brendan Johnson, the son of Tim Johnson, who served 28 years in Congress; and former state Sen. Billie Sutton “the big three” who could have the nomination for any post they seek.

But Seiler said both Herseth Sandlin, who was seeking a federal judgeship before she asked to have her name withdrawn, and Brendan Johnson, who has become a very public advocate for legalized marijuana, have made it clear they are not interested in running.

Sutton is still pondering a 2022 campaign, Seiler said. Sutton hasn't landed on a race, but he has indicated a willingness to listen to supporters who want him to saddle up for another ride. His campaign website is still up, which is ... interesting.

Immediately after losing to Noem, Sutton issued a request to his donors to continue to support him.

“Even when you lose a race like this, it just doesn’t, that fire doesn’t die out,” Sutton told the Associated Press after the 2018 election. “Whatever we do, it’s going to take resources to do that, and so we’re asking ... my supporters to join me in whatever that might be, even, even though we don’t have it completely fleshed out yet.”

Sutton formed the Billie Sutton Leadership Institute, which is “dedicated to inspiring and preparing the next generation of leaders to build a stronger South Dakota and more vibrant communities and workplaces through service to others.”

It also keeps his name out there while he builds a base for future races. Sutton is only 37, so he can be a leader the state Democratic Party can build around. But there is still a lot of work to do, including finding scores of candidates and more voters.

There are numerous stories about the rise in voter identity for Democrats — they hold a 49-40 edge nationwide, their largest lead since the end of 2012.

But not here. In South Dakota, there are more registered Republicans, Libertarians, independents and others since Election Day. Meanwhile, the Democrats have lost almost 500 voters. That must be reversed as soon as possible if they hope to contend.

South Dakota Democrats need to find supporters in likely locations, such as on reservations and in native communities. They have been reliable Democratic strongholds for decades.

The party changed the name of its Native Caucus to the Oceti Sakowin Caucus of South Dakota earlier this year.

“Oceti Sakowin means ‘Seven Council Fires’ and refers collectively to the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people,” the party website reads.

“The Oceti Sakowin Caucus acknowledges that indigenous people have not always been welcomed and included within the political systems that impact their lives, families and communities,” it reads. “The lack of inclusion, combined with the historical trauma and mistrust of colonial government, has resulted in a culture of choosing not to vote and not to participate in state and federal politics.”

There are thousands of potential voters who have not been asked to support the state party. That must change, and more candidates must be recruited.

Other good places to seek support include college campuses, where thousands of young voters, many of whom identify with progressive policies and viewpoints, are just waiting to be registered. More work can be done in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen and other larger communities where voters can and must be added to the rolls.

The party also needs someone to work with Seiler. The search is on to find an executive director to replace Pam Cole, who resigned in February after a year on the job to join Dakotans for Health, which is pushing for a Medicaid expansion in the state.

Seller said he is optimistic they will find someone qualified and enthusiastic about taking over daily management of their affairs. But, he admits, there is competition for the best candidates, since the Minnesota Democratic Party also is advertising for an executive director and it can offer better pay and benefits.

Its top staffer, Sally Miller, departed March 1 after two years on the job. Miller was named Democratic politics and elections director at ActBlue, a progressive fundraising technology nonprofit that works to empower small-dollar donors.

So the South Dakota Democratic Party may be energized and Seiler may see a brighter future, but it’s also clear they have a lot of work to do. The only way to get it done is to keep their heads down and keep at it.

There are more than 100 races next year. The Democrats need to win more than the handful they have in recent years, and go from there.

There is nowhere to go but up.