By Joshua Haiar, South Dakota Searchlight
A group of staunchly conservative Republicans claimed control of key leadership positions in the state Legislature on Friday evening.
The leadership election in Pierre marked a consolidation of power for the faction, which has pushed for a more conservative agenda, including bills to regulate minors’ access to online pornography, curtail a controversial carbon capture pipeline, and cap property taxes.
Those stances have gained traction within the party’s conservative base, especially in rural and eastern parts of the state where the carbon pipeline has been a divisive issue. The proposed project from Summit Carbon Solutions would capture carbon produced by Midwest ethanol plants and ship it to North Dakota for underground sequestration.
Pipeline opponents ousted 11 of the 14 incumbents who lost seats in the June primary. Those incumbents had voted for a bill that was dubbed the “Landowner Bill of Rights” by its supporters, but was seen as a pro-pipeline law by landowner activists. Opponents petitioned the law onto the general election ballot, and voters soundly rejected it on Election Day.
The 2025 House of Representatives is poised to be led by Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, who is nominated to become the speaker of the House. Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton, is nominated for speaker pro tempore. Those positions are officially elected at the start of the legislative session.
Rep. Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, will serve as majority leader. Hanson and Odenbach each led political action committees that worked to oust incumbents during the primary.
Rep. Marty Overweg, R-New Holland, will serve as assistant majority leader in the House, and the whip team will consist of Reps. Jess Bahmuller, Les Heinemann, Bethany Soye, Greg Jamison, and Brandei Schaefbauer.
On the Senate side, the majority leader position went to Sen. Jim Mehlhaff, R-Pierre,
Assistant majority leader went to Sen. Carl Perry, R-Aberdeen. Sen. Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, who will serve his first term in the Senate after leaving the House of Representatives, was nominated for Senate president pro tempore, which will be officially elected when the session starts.
The Senate whip team will consist of Sens. Sue Peterson, Kevin Jensen, Randy Deibert and Tom Pischke.
Democratic leaders also chosen
Democrats also chose their leaders. On the Senate side, Liz Larson will be minority leader and Jamie Smith will be assistant minority leader. Both are from Sioux Falls. Red Dawn Foster, of Pine Ridge, will be minority whip.
In the House, Erin Healy, of Sioux Falls, will be minority leader and Eric Emery, of Rosebud, will be assistant minority leader. Kadyn Wittman, of Sioux Falls, and Nicole Uhre-Balk, of Rapid City, will be the minority whips.
Sen. Larson and Rep. Healy are the first two women to lead a Democratic caucus in the South Dakota Legislature.
Democrats will have nine seats in the 2025 Legislature – six in the House, three in the Senate. There will be 96 Republicans – 64 in the House, 32 in the Senate.
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