I’m not going to do endorsements since most of you have already made up your minds, but I will go over a few predictions;

In the presidential election, I have no doubt that Trump will win South Dakota and get our 3 electoral votes (even if one of the electors is hiding under a rock while there is an ongoing(?) investigation). But I do believe Biden will take Minnehaha County with at least 52% of the vote. It’s unfortunate that all the hayseeds in our state don’t wise up.

I also think Biden will take the popular vote nationwide, I actually think he will get at least 10-20 million more votes then Trump. The sticky part is the swing states and the electoral college. It looks as though Biden still has a route to electoral victory even if he loses Florida and Texas. I agree with Biden on this one, he needs to fight to the end and hope it rings true. No matter who wins the Presidential election it is time for us to rid ourselves of the electoral college. This will be a hard fight, because the red rural states, like ourselves, will fight it.

I also think the Dems will keep the House and flip the Senate, with at least 2 extra seats.

Locally, I think Kelly Sullivan (D13) and Michael Sabe (D9) will be re-elected to serve in the state legislature.

While the SD GOP has been like attack dogs on Pat Starr with false allegations and flat out ridiculous lies, I think most people support him for Minnehaha County Treasurer. It will be close, and the only reason is because of straight ticket Republican voters. But I think he will pull it off with at least 52% of the vote or higher. I also wonder why his opponent has gotten virtually ZERO endorsements from the party she belongs to? The unfortunate part is we will miss him on the Sioux Falls City Council, and I can’t even fathom what person will be recruited to be appointed to serve out his remaining 3 years. I wouldn’t doubt that the RS6 already have some people lined up in case Pat leaves. It’s going to be a very lonely place for Councilor Brekke. But on the bright side, I think Pat will continue the same level of ‘personal’ customer service Nelson has provided, but make it even better with more advances in technology. I think if there is ever a perfect replacement for Pam it is Pat.

I have no doubt that Medical Mary will pass with at least 65% of the vote or higher, I also have NO doubt the State Legislature will gut the initiative just like they did with IM22 and make it almost impossible for you to get a prescription for MJ and even if you do, good luck finding a provider for your script. So why would the Legislature do this, well, because they are a bunch little whiny bi*chs that only are for things if it makes them money, it has little to do with them being a bunch of right wing radical wing nuts. Just look at the crying game they played when their personal businesses couldn’t get their hands on the Rona money. Do you really think a beer distributor was suffering during this pandemic? Puhhhhlleeese. That money should have been distributed to individuals across the state instead of low wage employers who may or may not trickle it down to the rest of us. But you know the line from these peeps, they used it frequently in 2008 when raises were not forthcoming, “You should just consider yourself lucky you have a job.” While they take massive tax write-offs for a temporary loss in profit. Sorry, kind of went down a rabbit hole on that one, but like I said, our Republican controlled legislature won’t do anything unless they can line their pockets, and there is NO money in Medical Mary.

As for Recreational Mary, I think it will squeak out a victory, but it will be tight and we may not know the results for several days. My only confidence that this will pass is from what I am seeing in polling. The polling has stayed consistent at that 51% since this summer. I also find some confidence in the fact that only 44% are against with 5% undecided. I think this campaign was well-organized and well-funded compared to the past, and I also think the green wave across the country is changing people’s minds about legalization. Also, if you are 21 or older, you may not have to worry about IM26 getting gutted, because you can go and buy the good stuff without a script. Yes folks, believe it or not, pot makes you feel good, whether you are suffering from pain, terminal cancer, seizures or you just want to relax, and believe it or not, while addiction can be an issue with it, the side affects of casual use are far, far, far less than legal drugs like alcohol and opiates.

I do think the legislature will do everything in their power to regulate the sh*t out of the legalization since they can’t kill it because it is a Constitutional Amendment, but I think the biggest uphill battle will be cities having the ability to regulate zoning, and your only choice may be growing your own plants. I think this is foolish for a number of reasons, first the obvious, WHY IN THE HELL DID BRENDAN JOHNSON GIVE CITIES SO MUCH POWER?!! When I read this in the Amendment, I just shook my head, this is what happens when you have moderate to right Democrats write laws, a milky, watery substance is produced, secondly, cities would be wise to embrace this revenue, because I can guarantee if NO dispensaries exist in our state people will continue to purchase on the black market or simply buy in Colorado. In other words we would lose out on the tax revenue. Even if that all occurs, fortunately we will benefit from the justice costs involved with it, I think counties across the state will save millions by not arresting, prosecuting and jailing MJ users. As for the myth that traffic fatalities will go up, this has been proved in other states that is only a myth. And why? Because legalization is NOT going to automatically create a bunch of new users who will be driving. I actually find this argument the most egregious, South Dakota has some of the most lax DUI laws in the nation. If we are soooooo concerned about intoxicated drivers in our state, maybe we need to make those laws tougher? I know people who have gotten between 3-7 DUI’s and never spent a day in state prison. Why is that? Because of the alcohol lobby in our state, which controls our state legislature. If the Chamber, and the State Medical Association is so concerned about this, maybe they should focus on making those laws stricter . . . oh, that’s right, they haven’t done a damn thing! Kettle, meet black.

By the end of next week, I think our country and state will be turned upside down by this election and I think it will be weeks before we learn who will win in a lot of these races. Remember, the Electoral College doesn’t need to ratify the votes until December 8th, so put your big kid pants on, cuz it’s going to get hairy over the next month.

13 Thoughts on “2020 Election Predictions

  1. "Very Stable Genius" on October 28, 2020 at 9:40 pm said:

    In 2020, voters will get to take their anger out on Trump by not voting for him, instead of looking for a surrogate candidate to vote in as a part of a protest vote as they did in 2018; which means that smart conservatives and moderates will then rebound from voting against Trump by voting Republican down ballot in our neck of the woods, I am afraid.

    This reality explains why Collin Peterson, a Democrat, is struggling next door in Minnesota’s 7th congressional district. It also explains why Tina Smith in Minnesota, as a Democrat, has a senate race which is tightening up as well.

    Plus, Biden will win Omaha, which is congressional district 2 in Nebraska, but down ballot Republicans in D2 Neb., are polling ahead of their Democratic opponents right now as we speak, which is further proof that there will be no blue wave in red states.

    In fact, there will not be a blue wave in our part of the country of any sorts. If Democrats pick-up the senate seats in Iowa and Montana, that will have more to do with the popularity, or lack there of, of the current Republican incumbents than any blue wave.

    Also right now, Dems have 16 legislators in Pierre. After next Tuesday, they will have 12. Too many Democrats running for the state house in this state don’t have a partner to run with on the ballot, that hurts. In Clay county, we have lost two incumbents due to term limits; and in Minnehaha any blue gains will be negated by votes from Lincoln County, the land where voting boxes are encouraged. Also, what the hell is going on in 15? All I see are Cole signs.

    But I do think Biden is going to win and maybe big. I hope I am really wrong about everything else, however; but I told people in 2016 that Trump was going to win and people laughed at me, then in 2018 I predicted that the local Dems would pick-up two legislative seats, which they did, but I didn’t pick the right winners, oh well…. I guess we will see on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or whenever.

    Aren’t politics fun? I just hope we don’t have a civil war after November 3rd. We must pray.

  2. "Very Stable Genius" on October 28, 2020 at 9:54 pm said:

    Oh, and I think that Starr has the advantage. Taupeville can’t interfere, and I also think he has stronger name ID, then Swanson. Plus, don’t forget what Bill Dougherty used to say: “Any publicity, is good publicity”…. When it comes to his recent fights with the Minnehaha GOP and GOP PUC members.

  3. Republicans will find an activist judge like Larry Long to have either or both cannabis ballot measures struck down in court but the Oglala Lakota Nation has just legalized.

    A 1986 amendment to federal law allows tribes to acquire off-reservation land to serve the needs of its people so last year the Oglala Lakota Oyate bought property on I-90 just outside Badlands National Park. The Isanti Dakota Oyate or Flandreau Santee Sioux Nation has also taken steps to resume their cannabis initiative. A former chairman of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate is a tribal liaison for a cannabis development firm and South Dakota Secretary of Tribal Relations Dave Flute is also a former chairman of the SWO.

  4. Popularvote on October 29, 2020 at 9:54 am said:

    You Dumbocrats are so funny. Always bringing up the popular vote. I get it….keep bringing it up, the media keeps talking about it, you think eventually it will have to be changed. Ain’t. Gonna. Happen.

  5. i12doit on October 29, 2020 at 10:02 am said:

    I think Amendment A will make it along with IM-26. Jailing people for weed is troglodytic. The “booze-brains” have their drug of choice free flowing with unlimited supply. These Nixon era race dividing bootlickers are as attractive as a wart on a fat woman’s ass. The war on weed is criminal itself.

  6. D@ily Spin on October 29, 2020 at 10:30 am said:

    CA, TX and FL might eventually kill the electoral college because of their large and liberal populations. SD would lose any sort of prominence in presidential elections. This could be a year where the popular vote elects Biden but Trump wins electorally.

  7. Jillbidenshouldbejailed on October 29, 2020 at 11:21 am said:

    I feel bad for Joe Biden. Poor guy can’t put two words together to form a sentence, gets confused easily…why the hell would Jill Biden encourage him to run in the first place? I think she should be jailed for elder abuse. The true communists in this country sure pulled a fast one over on life long left leaners. The DNC didn’t want Bernie cause he wasn’t electable, so they had everyone pull out and endorse Dementia Joe. Only to have Joe pick Kamala because she is “black” and a woman to help him win. Makes sense, but there is no way in hell Joe is going to be able to be president for 4 years, unless he does it from his bed. So now we have Kamala, who called Joe Biden a rapist and racist….guess that is ok? I don’t care if he is either. Sure, his family makes millions of dollars from China, Russia, Ukraine, etc, but that doesn’t make him a bad president, right? I’m more afraid of what we don’t know Kamala will do once ol Joe is out of the way. I think as an independent voter, I’d honestly rather have Bernie. At least he has a history and we know what we are getting, pretty much communism. At that point, the 2nd is all we are going to have to protect the rest.

  8. "Woodstock" on October 29, 2020 at 11:21 pm said:

    “I like it when Collin Peterson says in his tv commercial that defunding the police would be ‘kwazee'”…

  9. "Very Stable Genius" on October 30, 2020 at 12:10 am said:

    Bernie is a commie? That’s like saying a Lada is the same as a Saab or a Volvo.

    I think Trump is the one with dementia. He’s the one who forgot to bill Mexico for the wall, I mean the fence.

    Kamala used to be a prosecutor. So if you fear Kamala, then I know why, but actually, what are you really telling us?

    And why would you want to jail Jill? She didn’t give birth to Hunter. Give Hunter a break. At least he didn’t grow a beard to try to get the red neck vote for his dad. (“We lost?”…. “Where’s the blade?”…. “No, not that type”….)

  10. "Very Stable Genius" on October 30, 2020 at 12:13 am said:

    Republicans don’t like popular vote because they haven’t seen it since 1988. Well, I guess in 2004 with the help of the Ohio Secretary of State, an out-of-state vote counter, and the ignoring of a lot of provisional ballots they did, well, kind of.

  11. Fear & Loathing in Sioux Falls on October 30, 2020 at 2:18 pm said:

    Speaking of predictions, every time I hear the COVID chopper from Sanford cruising over my home, it’s like the last days of Saigon.

    Then, I turn on the TV and hear a crazed orange face president running for re-election.

    The Big Orange cheated his way into the University of PA. Now, he’s trying to cheat his way into a PA win. I see a correlation.

    People are wearing masks at my favorite grocer. Others should.

    Where’s our governor?

    Omahaians are freezing.

    Walmart has ceased the sale of guns and ammo.

    There’s talk of civil war.

    Putin has a smirk on his face.

    Why are Don Jr., and Erik sporting beards?

    Trumpsters parade our streets with flags and big tires (Big girlfriends, too.).

    This year, Halloween is one of the least scariest things.

    But otherwise, what are your plans for Thanksgiving? Should we invite Grandma? Will Kristi finally be in town?

  12. Eliminating the Electoral College will render voting for President in South Dakota a useless exercise. And insure the east and west coast will control Washington forever.

  13. "Very Stable Genius" on November 1, 2020 at 5:01 pm said:

    Seriously? Good!

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