Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
SDPB Radio Coverage of the South Dakota Legislature. See all coverage and find links to audio and video streams live from the Capitol at www.sdpb.org/statehouse

Republicans Attain Statehouse Supermajority

Kealey Bultena
/
SDPB
Lawmakers from both chambers listen to Governor Dennis Daugaard's FY2018 budget address.

Republicans have a super-majority in both chambers of the South Dakota state legislature. 

State Representative Spence Hawley is a Democrat – one of 16 total in the state legislature. He says Democrats have ideas that deserve consideration.

"We by far have no means to stop anything or to get anything passed through without help across the aisle, but sometimes it helps to have a conscience out there, too, and make them understand what priorities are and what we should be thinking about and what is important to the people of South Dakota, and I hope we can keep focused on that," Hawley says.

One Democrat who won election unopposed faces misdemeanor sexual contact charges. Reynold Nesiba is on leave from the Democratic caucus. If Nesiba does not serve in the 2017 State Senate, Governor Dennis Daugaard selects his replacement.

"I probably would appoint a Republican," Daugaard says. "I wouldn’t exclude a Democrat from consideration, but I’d be more likely to appoint a Republican. I’d be interested in appointing someone whose values I think are good, who has some willingness to study issues."

If that happens and Daugaard chooses a Republican, Democrats would have 15 of the 105 statehouse seats.

Kealey Bultena grew up in South Dakota, where her grandparents took advantage of the state’s agriculture at nap time, tricking her into car rides to “go see cows.” Rarely did she stay awake long enough to see the livestock, but now she writes stories about the animals – and the legislature and education and much more. Kealey worked in television for four years while attending the University of South Dakota. She started interning with South Dakota Public Broadcasting in September 2010 and accepted a position with television in 2011. Now Kealey is the radio news producer stationed in Sioux Falls. As a multi-media journalist, Kealey prides herself on the diversity of the stories she tells and the impact her work has on people across the state. Kealey is always searching for new ideas. Let her know of a great story! Find her on Facebook and twitter (@KealeySDPB).