(Argus Leader file photo)

I have mixed feelings about Dusty’s appointment, but I like the guy, and though he has an (R) behind his name, I think he is a progressive person. I hope he takes full advantage of his position to help ordinary South Dakotans;

Public Utilities Commissioner Dusty Johnson will resign from his job at the end of his term and will become Governor-elect Dennis Daugaard’s chief of staff.

Johnson, who was reelected in November was named to his new position this morning in a news conference with Daugaard.

Johnson, 34, defeated Democrat Doyle Karpen with 73 percent of the vote earlier this month to retain the PUC post. Before being elected to the PUC, he was a senior policy advisor to Gov. Mike Rounds.

I am a little upset about him pulling a ‘Bob Litz’, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt, he may not have been angling for the job before the election. We will probably never know.

7 Thoughts on “Congrats Dusty!

  1. Less than a month ago 217,346 South Dakotans voted for Johnson to be PUC. He’s no more than a bolter.

  2. I’m a little annoyed by that also, BUT, I still wonder if Dusty knew he was up for the appointment?

    I know Dusty reads DaCola, maybe he will fill us in.

  3. I’m cool with this. I voted for the man because I think he is competant and I largely agree with his philosophy. That won’t change, but now he will have considerable influence and later a better chance at higher office. Same man + higher office = will vote again.

    SD needs more good people stepping up to political offices, even if its library board.

  4. I voted for Dusty also. He is a progressive Republican, something that is a rarity in Pierre, I hope he has a lot of influence over our governor.

  5. sandman on November 23, 2010 at 7:49 pm said:

    He’ll be a far superior Senate candidate than Snooki in 2014.

  6. There is no such thing as a progressive republican.

  7. concern liberal on November 25, 2010 at 7:20 pm said:

    Progressive Republican? He is the biggest phony in Pierre. He also rules on the side of the corporate establishment all the time, but prior to any major PUC decision, he walks the line between both sides of an issue like no politician I have ever seen. He has no shame to throw out code words to both camps, so he can have his cake and eat it too.

    Dusty received his appointment, because the Rounds/
    Daugaard camp is preparing to run him for Governor in
    2018. They will need a “vote-getter” to stop the next
    Janklow grony in the 2018 Repulican primary, and they know Michels is not interesting enough to pull it off. Michels was just picked to rally the pro-life wing of the Republican party, … and as a side note, hopefully the “Janklow/Heidipriem” occupiers of the Democratic Party have left the SDDP for good.

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