SD Democratic Party Mourns the Loss of Former Legislator James Burg FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2024 It is with great sadness that the South Dakota Democratic Party announces the passing of former legislator James Burg. Burg served in the House from 1975-1984. He was then elected as a Senator from 1985-1986. He also served on the LRC Executive Board and was the Public Utilities Commissioner from 1987-2004. He was most recently the Democratic Committeeman for Jerauld County. “I was so sorry to hear of Jim’s passing. He was an activist and one of the best Democrats I knew,” said ..read more

Governor Noem’s Continued Disrespect Towards Tribal Nations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2024 The South Dakota Democratic Party Chair Shane Merrill released the following statement as four tribes ban Gov. Kristi Noem from their reservations due to her unsubstantiated allegations against tribal nations. “The South Dakota Democratic Party stands with the tribal nations as they defend themselves against unfounded claims by Gov. Noem that drug cartels have infiltrated several reservations and that some tribal leaders are ‘personally benefitting’ from the cartels ..read more

Open Letter from Rep. Emery to Gov. Noem and Rosebud Sioux Tribe FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2024 Democratic State Representative Eric Emery (District 26A) sent the letter below to Governor Kristi Noem and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. For questions, you can contact the SDDP Executive Director Dan Ahlers at dan@sddp.org or contact the state party office by phone at 605-271-5405 or 605-940-3071. Paid for by the South Dakota Democratic Party | www.sddp.org The post Open Letter from Rep. Emery to Gov. Noem and Rosebud Sioux Tribe appeared first on S ..read more

SD Democrats Celebrate President Biden’s Latest Booming Jobs Report FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 5, 2024 South Dakota Democratic Party Executive Director Dan Ahlers released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the U.S. economy added 303,000 new jobs in March, once again exceeding expectations and bringing the total number of jobs created under President Biden to over 15 million: “President Biden has built the strongest economy in the world from the middle-out and bottom-up. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, South Dakota has creat ..read more

SDDP Celebrates Democratic Candidates on the Ballot FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 4, 2024 The South Dakota Democratic Party is excited to announce it helped get more than 100 candidates on the ballot for the 2024 election! This is all thanks to dozens of volunteers across the state collecting thousands of signatures to get qualified, determined candidates on the ballot. This includes: 45 County Candidates (County Commission/States Attorney/Treasurer/Auditor) 53 Legislative Candidates Numerous City Council and School Board candidates across the state A Congressional Candidate who is ..read more

April 3, 2024 A Note from the SD Democratic Party Field Director Dear South Dakota Democrats, I want to personally say thank you to each and every one of you who volunteered to circulate petitions for our local, county, legislative, and statewide candidates. We had petitions circulated from all four corners of our state and everywhere in between. I couldn’t be more proud of our party leaders and volunteers who answered the call, working day and night to get all of our candidates on the ballot. This grassroots effort is what SDDP is all about. There is no “I” or “me ..read more

SD Democratic Party Statement on SCOTUS Mifepristone Case FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2024 As the Supreme Court hears arguments in a case that could ban medication abortion across the country and severely limit access to critical reproductive care for millions of women, South Dakota Democratic Party Vice Chair Jessica Meyers released the following statement: “Today’s Supreme Court hearing is a stark reminder that a loud minority of Republicans are using every avenue possible to ban abortion nationwide. This case could strip away access to medication ab ..read more

Statement on President Biden Clinching Democratic Nomination FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 15, 2024 South Dakota Democratic Party Chair Shane Merrill released the following statement after President Joe Biden earned enough pledged delegates to become the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee. “The South Dakota Democratic Party is excited to support President Joe Biden as he vies for a second term in the White House. “In just four years, the Biden-Harris Administration has accomplished so much for South Dakota and the tribal nations that share the same geography. Recen ..read more

The 2024 Legislative Session just recently wrapped up. South Dakota Democratic Party Communications Director Krista Burns spent the entire session in Pierre, sitting in on committee hearings, listening to the House and Senate floors and talking with lawmakers and lobbyists about some of the biggest issues dominating the session. Let’s start off with the positives. Democrats had several bills that were signed into law, including two from Rep. Linda Duba. One creates a psychology licensure compact. This allows psychologists and psychiatrists to work with patients in other states. There is a be ..read more

 Democratic Leadership Column: End of the 2024 Session FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2024 Minority Leader Sen. Reynold Nesiba This session we, again, made historic investments in infrastructure for clean drinking water, airports, and telemedicine that would not have happened without the leadership of President Joe Biden. South Dakota’s own members of Congress voted against these crucial funds. During the final week, five House Democrats made the deciding 39-31 vote to move our ethanol industry forward while also protecting the rights of landowners. Sout ..read more