Latest news with #Doeden
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As Trump now knows and Doeden may learn, the governing is harder than the shake-up
Toby Doeden announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota during an event on May 28, 2025, in Aberdeen. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) And then there were two. In late May, Aberdeen businessman and political influencer Toby Doeden entered the race for the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota. He joins state Speaker of the House Jon Hansen as the only announced candidates, so far, for the nomination. Throughout his announcement speech, and sprinkled liberally through his campaign website, are references to Doeden's support for President Donald Trump. It's hard to miss the comparisons between the president and the gubernatorial candidate. Doeden takes pride, as Trump did in his first campaign, at never having been elected to public office. Doeden, however, knows something about how to get other people elected. Through his Dakota First Action political action committee, he supported a bevy of anti-establishment Republicans who were able to unseat legislative incumbents in the last primary. While Doeden sees his lack of electoral experience as a positive, voters always run a risk when they decide to put someone in a position of power who has never been there before. In his first term as president, Trump often seemed befuddled by the finer points of how the federal government works. For Doeden, promising to shake things up in Pierre is the easy part. Harder than the shaking is the governing. Doeden joins race for governor with pledge to eliminate property taxes While he's shaking things up in Pierre, Doeden has promised to cut spending from a state government budget that he sees as bloated. That made it seem odd when among his first pronouncements as a candidate was the creation of not one but two new state agencies. He has proposed to create the South Dakota Department of External Revenue to find new revenue sources for the state and the South Dakota Department of Government Efficiency, which sounds eerily like Elon Musk's DOGE. We can only hope that Doeden's version of DOGE has a lighter touch than the Trump/Musk version, which is prone to cutting government by sending in a lumberjack to do work that was best suited for a surgeon. Much of DOGE's work and Trump's attempts to shrink the federal government have ended up in court battles that haven't been winners for the president. Doeden's version of his personal history seems to play off the Trump-inspired myth that people who have made a fortune can relate to the problems and challenges faced by the rest of us. Doeden touts his hardscrabble youth, something that Trump never had, as a way to connect with voters. Yet Doeden faces the same ironic set of circumstances as Trump, touting personal success that won't make him subservient to donors all the while that his website welcomes donations. That suggests that somehow candidates like Doeden and Trump are better suited to lead us because they're rich, yet their wealth doesn't keep them from asking for our money. In his announcement, Doeden railed against career politicians, the likes of which have yet to enter the race for the Republican nomination. Widely speculated as potential candidates are Gov. Larry Rhoden, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson and Attorney General Marty Jackley. Hansen hails from the same populist wing of the party as Doeden, which runs the risk of them splitting the primary vote from that group. It will be Doeden's challenge to get Republican voters to choose his brand of populism over Hansen's. He'll need to do that while getting them to cast aside the established leaders who have devoted their lives to building up government. To be successful, Doeden will have to convince voters that it's in their best interest to let him tear it all down. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Doeden joins race for governor with pledge to eliminate property taxes
Toby Doeden announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota during an event on May 28, 2025, in Aberdeen. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) ABERDEEN — Toby Doeden, an Aberdeen businessman, officially launched his campaign for governor of South Dakota on Wednesday evening, promising a sweeping overhaul of state government including the elimination of property taxes. Doeden is seeking the Republican nomination in 2026 and is the second member of his party to officially declare a candidacy, after state House Speaker Jon Hansen, of Dell Rapids. Other Republicans frequently mentioned as potential candidates include former lieutenant governor and current Gov. Larry Rhoden, who is serving the remainder of former Gov. Kristi Noem's second term after she resigned to join the Trump Cabinet, along with U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson and Attorney General Marty Jackley. Rhoden signed a bill earlier this year that includes several forms of property tax relief. Doeden said he'll go further. 'As governor, I will fight to eliminate property taxes so that each and every resident — regardless of class, color, creed or profession — can truly own their home and their land once and for all,' Doeden told an enthusiastic crowd of at least a couple of hundred supporters. He proposed the creation of a new agency, the 'South Dakota Department of External Revenue,' to identify alternative revenue sources. First candidate for governor focuses on property rights, spending and halting 'corporate welfare' Doeden repeatedly criticized what he called a 'bloated $8 billion enterprise,' referring to state government and its budget. He said he would create a 'South Dakota Department of Government Efficiency' and promised to audit every state agency and publicly release 'every line item' of spending. He also pledged to reject a salary, eliminate executive perks such as state-funded air travel, and shred all executive branch credit cards. Doeden called for reform of South Dakota's public education system. He pledged to refocus schools on 'reading, writing, math and critical thinking,' and said classrooms should be 'free from indoctrination and divisive ideologies.' 'I will work with President Trump and our Legislature here at home to develop and implement an education system that prepares our children for a future of winning,' he said. Doeden tied his campaign closely to President Donald Trump, saying he would work to combat crime and illegal immigration. 'Any elected official who suggests defunding the police will forfeit their right to hold office,' he said. Doeden was introduced by state Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, who lost a 2022 primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Johnson. Among the other state lawmakers in attendance was Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer, R-Aberdeen. 'Toby is a businessman, and we need someone who understands jobs, the economy, and why people are struggling,' Schaefbauer said. Doeden, a married father of four grown children, is the owner of Aberdeen Chrysler Center, Redfield Ford and other retail businesses and real estate. When Doeden was publicly considering a challenge last year to Johnson, Doeden's past social media posts drew scrutiny. He had encouraged the shooting of immigrants in gangs, used a profane insult to describe President Joe Biden, and labeled statistics about hatred of Jewish Americans as 'fake.' Doeden ultimately decided against running for U.S. House last year. He founded a political action committee called Dakota First Action, which he used to support legislative candidates and play a role in 14 June primary losses by incumbent Republican lawmakers. The committee faced immediate scrutiny due to a $100,000 contribution from Doeden himself. Following concerns raised about state campaign finance laws – particularly the $10,000 limit on individual contributions to PACs – Doeden amended the report, stating that the money was a loan rather than a donation. Because loans can be forgiven, critics alleged that Doeden had found and exploited a loophole allowing him to make an unlimited individual contribution. The Legislature passed a bill this winter closing the loophole with a new requirement that any loan, when combined with contributions from the same source, cannot exceed contribution limits in state law. Had the law been in effect last year, Doeden would have been limited to a combined $10,000 of annual contributions and loans to his political action committee. In October, Doeden and Dakota First Action hosted a fundraising event in Sioux Falls that sparked controversy for featuring a video message from North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. CNN had recently exposed Robinson's racist and sexually explicit comments on a pornographic website's message board, including referring to himself as a 'black Nazi,' expressing support for reinstating slavery and praising Adolf Hitler. Robinson, who was running for governor of North Carolina, lost to a Democrat in the general election. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Toby Doeden, Aberdeen businessman, files for South Dakota governor
A second expected entrant to South Dakota's distant gubernatorial race has filed with the state. Aberdeen businessman and conservative activist Toby Doeden filed a statement of organization for "Toby Doeden for South Dakota," a statewide gubernatorial candidate committee established on May 22, according to the South Dakota Secretary of State's website. Doeden has scheduled an event at 5 p.m. CDT, May 28, at Wylie Park Pavilion in Aberdeen. He is expected to publicly announce his campaign for the governor nomination there. Jessica Post, general manager of 5-Star Management LLC, an Aberdeen property management company, is listed as committee treasurer. Doeden is the president of Doeden Investment Group, an investment firm, which includes Post on its staff page. Doeden is the chair of Dakota First Action, a statewide political action committee that boosted populist and anti-carbon pipeline candidates into the state legislature in 2024. Doeden has never held a political office, and he refers to himself as a "successful businessman, a bold conservative, and a dedicated family man" on his website. Politically, Doeden presents a conservative option that aligns with President Donald Trump's "America First" policies and sits farther to the right than other prominent South Dakota's Republicans, like Gov. Larry Rhoden and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, both of whom are anticipated to run for governor but have yet to publicly announce campaigns. Doeden would be the second to enter South Dakota's contest for the job after state House Speaker Jon Hansen, who announced his run for governor along with Speaker Pro Tempore Karla Lems as lieutenant governor in April. Doeden's PAC entered hot water with the state's Republican establishment in October 2024 when he refused to cancel a speaking engagement with then-Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson of North Carolina at a Dakota First Action gala event. Robinson was accused of writing several controversial statements on an online board in the 2000s, including calling himself a "black NAZI," CNN reported. More: Mark Robinson drops speaking slot at SD fundraiser to help with hurricane recovery amid scandal Robinson later dropped the speaking engagement of his own accord and provided a pre-recorded video in order to assist in North Carolina's disaster response following 2024's Hurricane Helene. He later dropped a lawsuit against the network for its reporting. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Aberdeen's Toby Doeden joins race for South Dakota governor
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Paperwork filed for 2nd South Dakota gubernatorial candidate
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A second candidate has officially filed paperwork to challenge for Governor of South Dakota. According to campaign finance documents with the Secretary of State's office, Toby Doeden for South Dakota filed a state candidate committee paperwork on May 22. On the documents, Doeden put 'Governor' as the statewide office sought. DoedenDownload Doeden, who also runs the Dakota First Action political action committee in South Dakota, has a planned announcement set for 5 p.m. Wednesday in Aberdeen. His Facebook page says he is an 'unapologetic Dakota First Conservative.' According to his website, Doeden says he 'is not a politician' and 'he's a successful businessman, a bold conservative, and a dedicated family man.' KELOLAND's Dan Santella interviewed Doeden in September 2024 about his PAC inviting Mark Robinson, the former North Carolina Lt. Governor, to speak at an event in Sioux Falls. Doeden joins Republican Rep. Jon Hansen as the second candidate officially declared for the office of South Dakota's Governor. The South Dakota primary election is set for June 2, 2026 and the general election will be Nov. 3, 2026. Hansen filed paperwork with the SOS office on May 13 after an April announcement. According to published news stories and business websites, Doeden own several properties in Aberdeen and the Aberdeen area , and, according to the business website, he is president of the Doeden Investment Group. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Toby Doeden, conservative Aberdeen businessman, files for South Dakota governor
A second expected entrant to South Dakota's distant gubernatorial race has filed with the state. Aberdeen businessman and conservative activist Toby Doeden filed a statement of organization for "Toby Doeden for South Dakota," a statewide gubernatorial candidate committee established on May 22, according to the South Dakota Secretary of State's website. Doeden has scheduled an event at 5 p.m. CDT, May 28, at Wylie Park Pavilion in Aberdeen. He is expected to publicly announce his campaign for the governor nomination there. Jessica Post, general manager of 5-Star Management LLC, an Aberdeen property management company, is listed as committee treasurer. Doeden is the president of Doeden Investment Group, an investment firm, which includes Post on its staff page. Doeden is the chair of Dakota First Action, a statewide political action committee that boosted populist and anti-carbon pipeline candidates into the state legislature in 2024. Doeden has never held a political office, and he refers to himself as a "successful businessman, a bold conservative, and a dedicated family man" on his website. Politically, Doeden presents a conservative option that aligns with President Donald Trump's "America First" policies and sits farther to the right than other prominent South Dakota's Republicans, like Gov. Larry Rhoden and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, both of whom are anticipated to run for governor but have yet to publicly announce campaigns. Doeden would be the second to enter South Dakota's contest for the job after state House Speaker Jon Hansen, who announced his run for governor along with Speaker Pro Tempore Karla Lems as lieutenant governor in April. Doeden's PAC entered hot water with the state's Republican establishment in October 2024 when he refused to cancel a speaking engagement with then-Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson of North Carolina at Dakota First Action gala event. Robinson was accused of writing several controversial statements on an online board in the 2000s, including calling himself a "black NAZI," CNN reporting. More: Mark Robinson drops speaking slot at SD fundraiser to help with hurricane recovery amid scandal Robinson later dropped the speaking engagement of his own accord and provided a pre-recorded video in order to assist in North Carolina's disaster response following 2024's Hurricane Helene. He later dropped a lawsuit against the network for its reporting. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota governor election: Aberdeen's Toby Doeden joins race
