Republican criticism of the October 1 Dakota First Action political action committee’s Victory Gala featuring video remarks by self-described black Nazi Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, have put in an appearance on a postcard (above) from a Democratic state house candidate in Northeast South Dakota.
Does it matter?
With Democratic, Libertarian and Republican candidates on the ballot, the district did get a mention in Makenzie Huber's South Dakota Searchlight article With Republican control of Legislature assured, Democrats target competitive districts:
District 1: Up until 2018, District 1 was a Democratic stronghold in the northeast corner of the state. Democratic Senate and House candidates went unchallenged from 2008 through 2018. But when Tamara St. John became the first Republican elected from the district since 1998, the district shifted red, with the Republican Party taking the Senate seat in 2020 and both House seats in 2022.
Although Aberdeen Sen. Michael Rohl is uncontested in the general election, St. John was ousted by two Republican challengers in the June House primary. The district will have a six-way House race among two Republicans, two Democrats and two Libertarians:
- Libertarians Josh Dennert and Tamara Lesnar
- Republicans Logan Manhart and Christopher Reder
- Democrats Steven McCleerey (a former representative for the district from 2015 to 2020) and Mark Sumption . . ..
First, some background on the claims in the Mark Sumption For District 1 postcard, which I received in the mail on Friday.
On October 2, Bluestem posted Mark Robinson's inclusion via video in Sioux Falls fundraiser divides SD Republican Party, which combined a South Dakota Searchlight article with social media posts about the fundraiser from South Dakota District 1 House candidates Logan Manhart and Christopher Reder.
Joshua Haiar reported:
SIOUX FALLS – A political fundraiser featuring a video message from a controversial Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina further divided the factions within the South Dakota Republican Party on Tuesday night.
The message came from North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. CNN recently reported that Robinson made racist and sexually explicit remarks more than a decade ago on a pornographic website’s message board. The report said Robinson, who has a recent history of anti-transgender rhetoric, said he enjoyed watching transgender pornography, referred to himself as a “black Nazi,” expressed support for reinstating slavery and praised Adolf Hitler.
Robinson’s video speech occurred during the Dakota First Action political action committee’s Victory Gala. Toby Doeden, an Aberdeen businessman and founder of Dakota First Action, said his fellow Republicans who are condemning Robinson are hurting the party. . . .
South Dakota House Majority Leader Will Mortenson, R-Fort Pierre, condemned the event and called those hosting it non-Republicans.
“I spoke out against Nazis when they came to the Capitol this summer,” Mortenson said in a statement, referencing a June march in Pierre by a neo-Nazi group, “and don’t like them any better when they are in Sioux Falls. When you’re throwing a rally featuring a self-described Nazi, you’re not a Republican. You belong to a different party. There’s no room for Nazi sympathy in our party or in our state.” . . .
Republican former state representative Casey Murschel called Robinson’s inclusion in the Sioux Falls event “an insult to every Republican in our state.”
“It is embarrassing and offensive to have a Republican group, Dakota First Action, celebrating Republican primary election victories by inviting an anti-woman misogynist to South Dakota,” Murschel said in a statement. . . .
The conservative blog SD War College was even more scathing in its posts about Armstrong's presence at the event. Editor Pat Powers recommended the Searchlight article, while sharing his own opinion in SD House Majority Leader Will Mortenson: “When you’re throwing a rally featuring a self-described Nazi, you’re not a Republican.”:
The battle lines for the hearts and minds of the South Dakota Republican Party are being drawn for what kind of Republican people want to identify as. Either you believe that Nazi’s are bad like House Majority Leader Will Mortenson, or you throw in with Toby Doeden, the person who built a rally around someone who is said to have described himself as one. . . .
Universally condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike, the Doeden PAC event still appeared to have several people there who should know better, but seem to be held in thrall by Doeden’s checkbook and are attempting to suck up. In fact, SD Searchlight captured a bevy of them on a video posted to the story.
I’m immediately picking out State Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer, as well as D1 House Candidates Chris Reder and Logan Manhart in the foreground. It also looks as if Al Novstrup and Carl Perry may be at that table as well.
Is this what some who run under the SDGOP have come to? To cheer on and rally for the worst elements of the far right?
Keep in mind, they are not there to support the candidates and the goals of the Republican Party. They are there to benefit Toby Doeden’s PAC. A Political Action Committee led by a man – whose views might not have appeared on a porn website chatboard like Robinson’s are said to come from – but one whose views seem to mirror Mark Robinson’s . . .
The postcard from the campaign of Democratic candidate Mark Sumption links Manhart to that fundraiser. The front of the postcard is at the top of this post.
Here's the back of the postcard, which summarizes Powers' objection with one bullet point:
Logan Manhart proudly stands with "Black Nazi" Mark Robinson--South Dakota War College
Note that the postcard's last point in that Manhart "attended the January 6 riots." That's not completely accurate. He certainly was in DC on January 6, 2021, but does not appear to have stormed the Capitol, as we noted in In SD District One, GOP candidate & operative doesn't want to talk to press about January 6. He's certainly an election denier.
Extreme? Seems like it.
Manhart withdrew from the ballot in 2022 when it was demonstrated he hadn't lived in the state of South Dakota to run for office.
Related posts
- Is election denier Logan Manhart working in South Dakota Secretary of State elections office?
- News digest: Manhart pulls out of SD1 race
- Eligibility questioned, Logan Manhart withdraws from South Dakota District 1 House race
- SD SOS response to 32CIV22-92, asking SD1 House candidate's removal from ballot
- Dakota Free Press post: Manhart voted in Wisconsin in 2021, thus ineligible to run for South Dakota House in 2022
- Manhart candidate integrity questioned: docs from 32CIV22-92; McCleerey vs Barnett
- In SD District One, GOP candidate & operative doesn't want to talk to press about January 6
- Media scrutiny of SD District 1 House Logan Manhart candidate integrity questions continue
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post.
Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.
I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6
Comments