Democratic candidate Sheryl Johnson, a former Republican who has never held public office, faces daunting odds against incumbent Republican Dusty Johnson in the South Dakota U.S. House race.
The two Johnsons squared off last week in a debate
And according to South Dakota NewsWatch, Sheryl Johnson insists she’s running to win.
Sheryl Johnson ran for a state Senate seat in Republican-heavy District 11 in 2022, but lost after getting 45 percent of the vote. She also lost two bids for South Dakota House seats in 2018 and 2020.
Raising money has been a struggle for Sheryl Johnson during this U.S. House campaign, while her Republican opponent is sitting on an overall war chest of about $5 million. The number of registered Republican voters dwarfs that of Democrats in South Dakota.
Dusty Johnson, who was first elected to Congress in 2018, has not faced Democratic opposition in the past two general elections. Instead, he faced Libertarian candidates and won by margins of 55 and 62 points.
Democrat Johnson has tried to gain bipartisan support by advocating for landowners amid carbon pipeline disputes. She sees it as an issue where she can score points by emphasizing rural interests against the Republican establishment.
Early voting has been underway in South Dakota since September, and Election Day is November 5.
*The Iowa Tourism Office released new data this week showing tourism-related spending reached $7.3 billion statewide in 2023, which was up 5 percent from the amount of $6.9 billion in 2022.
In Woodbury County, the amount of spending by visitors has been equal over the last two years. In the tourism-centric Okoboji area in Dickinson County, visitor spending rose by $234 million or nearly 4 percent from 2022.
The study also showed tourism in Iowa also supported just under 71,000 jobs.
*The final of three informational meetings on a $69 million dollar facilities expansion at the Okoboji School District will be held Wednesday.
The measure is on the November 5 ballot as a school bond issue that needs 60 percent affirmation by voters to pass.
The proposal would add an addition onto the high school and build a new elementary on the west edge of Milford. The district has seen a 23 percent increase in enrollment over the last decade, at a time when many Siouxland districts are struggling to maintain enrollment.
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Milford Community Center.
*Barges used to routinely come up the Missouri River carrying farm or industrial products and land in Sioux City, but that has not been happening for about 20 years.
City of Sioux City officials generally support having a terminal spot for barges to land, and are working on a proposal that could achieve that.
The city council in a Monday meeting advanced a proposal that could lead to the creation of a privately-owned barge terminal on the city’s south side near Chautauqua Park.
The council will look over future incoming proposals for a sale of land. Dave Bernstein is investigating buying a 4-acre plot of land to build a terminal that his business State Steel could use.
Next steps will come in November, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will need to be involved, since it involves the river.
