Latest news with #JulianBeaudion
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside KELOLAND: Beaudion Senate Race, Cat cafe
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — On this edition of Inside KELOLAND we're going to sit down with Julian Beaudion about his recent graduation from the Obama Foundation Leaders Program, and a special announcement he made this week. Then, we'll dig into Sen. Mike Rounds latest attempt to dismantle the department of education, and the impact tariffs are having on farmers. Rep. Dusty Johnson on tariffs, stock market, and DOGE After that we'll talk with a business that's helping women with disabilities achieve their professional goals. Bold Minds builds bolder women And finally, we'll sit down with the owner of the Cattitude Cafe about its current struggles and the fundraising it is doing to keep its doors open. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sioux Falls business owner and former state trooper announces Democratic bid for U.S. Senate
Julian Beaudion, a Sioux Falls businessman and former state trooper, speaks at the downtown Sioux Falls library on Apr. 7, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) Julian Beaudion, a small-business owner and former state trooper from Sioux Falls, announced Thursday that he is seeking South Dakota's Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Mike Rounds. 'This campaign isn't about me — it's about securing a future where South Dakota's working families don't get left behind,' Beaudion said in a statement. He and his wife co-own Swamp Daddy's Cajun Kitchen, and he also operates The Hub, a professional development program. He previously served 13 years as a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper and is a graduate of the Obama Foundation's Leaders program. If elected, Beaudion would be the first Black person from South Dakota to serve in Congress. He said his campaign will focus on 'practical solutions, bipartisan cooperation, and creating economic opportunities for all South Dakotans.' His priorities include investing in rural infrastructure, expanding telehealth services and supporting workforce development. 'I'll fight to enforce the checks and balances our Constitution demands and reject the influence of big money and tech monopolies threatening our freedoms,' he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Beaudion criticized what he described as Rounds' defense of and support for President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk's policy agenda, including firing federal workers without congressional approval and Rounds' legislation to eliminate the federal Department of Education. A Rounds spokesman sent a statement in response to a South Dakota Searchlight message: 'Mike is focused on the actual job — securing the border, national defense, growing our economy, eliminating the federal Department of Education, and working with President Trump to get our country back on track. South Dakotans have soundly rejected Bidenomics and Obama's job-killing policies. Good luck running on that platform.' The South Dakota Democratic Party announced on Monday that it will conduct public town halls this month in at least four South Dakota cities. Beaudion will be one of the Democrats participating in those events. South Dakota's primary election is June 2, 2026, and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Julian Beaudion has helped change Sioux Falls
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — If the name Julian Beaudion sounds familiar to you, that's for good reason. He has been a key figure in various events across Sioux Falls However, before he started to consider himself an activist, he worked for the South Dakota Highway Patrol. DOGE announces first real estate closure in South Dakota 'I was a trooper for about 13.5 years when I became a trooper. I was the third black person to ever put the uniform on,' Julian Beaudion said. But after George Floyd was murdered, things changed for Beaudion. He was one of the voices at the protest that was held in Sioux Falls. 'Right after I gave that speech talking about the negatives in law enforcement, I had to turn around that same night because there was a riot at the, at the, at the mall and put the uniform on. And, you know, some of those same faces that attended the protest were also at the riot,' Beaudion said. Since then, he has expanded his role as an activist in the city. He's now president of the Juneteenth celebration in Sioux Falls and has helped manage its tremendous growth. 'We've been able to grow and develop that organization, into, you know, from what used to be, you know, 50 to 100 people coming to have a picnic to where now we have 5,000-6,000 folks showing up,' Beaudion said. Beaudion was selected as an Obama Leader this year. He was one out of 106 people from 6 countries to receive the honor and go through the Presidential leadership program. 'I want to make sure that I'm taking those tools and those resources and the knowledge to bring right back to South Dakota to say, how can we implement success here in South Dakota, as they have, in other states across the country,' Beaudion said. As Black History Month comes to a close today, it's an important reminder that Black history is American history, and should be remembered year round. 'We're not in this battle to say black people need to be better than anyone. We're here to say the inclusion of black folks makes everyone in our country better,' Beaudion said. Beaudion says one of his largest accomplishments was being selected as the Biden nominee to be the U.S. Marshal for the Territory of South Dakota. While he never went through the Senate confirmation process, he was the first black person to be nominated for it in the state of South Dakota. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
