Dakota Town Hall

The HomeSlice Media Group
  • 4.6 (26)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

South Dakota's Weekly Political Podcast - hosted by Jake Shoenbeck, and Murdoc. Join us every Friday as we discuss the top political topics of the week while speaking with the movers and shakers of the SD political landscape. Another HomeSlice Audio Production. Search for Dakota Town Hall in your favorite player or follow their socials - @DakotaTownHall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1D AGO

    Hippo Task Force

    Back again! This week on the show, the campaign trail is heating up and the candidate forums are stacking up faster than yard signs in a South Dakota windstorm. We get into the governor’s race chaos, the “Rhino Revenge Tour,” Toby Doeden vs. John Hansen intrigue, and the growing wave of AI-generated political attacks flooding social media. Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen joins the show to talk debates, life as a running mate already tied to the ballot, and what it’s like balancing official duties with campaign season pressure. Plus, Senator Michael Rohl delivers one of the most brutally honest breakdowns yet of the GOP governor primary field and the behind-the-scenes tensions driving it. We also plug into the Sioux Falls mayor race, the bizarre hammer-wielding city council invocation making the rounds online, and the return of familiar faces in the Attorney General contest. District 10 candidate John Pullman talks campaign fundamentals, knocking every corner of one of the state’s most competitive districts, and why retail politics still matters in the AI era. And of course, we close with the official launch of Task Force HIPPO: the Hippo Infrastructure Plan for Profit and Opportunity, because apparently the dream of bringing Pablo Escobar’s hippos to South Dakota is now entering the policy phase. Just another normal week in South Dakota politics. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 6m

  2. MAY 8

    Rhinos, Rumors, and Rural Revolts

    Back again! This week on the show the Dakota Town Hall crew heads northeast and northwest with Senate candidates Katie Washnock and Ryan Maher, plus ballot champion Nathan Sanderson. We get into collapsing voter turnout, the Republican civil war tearing through Brown County, and why campaigns are suddenly fighting over data centers, power grids, and property taxes all at once. Plus, a deep dive into what’s actually headed for the statewide ballot, why Pierre can’t stop tinkering with the constitution, and whether South Dakota voters are about to get hit with another round of ballot measure chaos. Then things get weird. The crew swaps stories about forum meltdowns, “rhino” scorecards, duct tape parenting controversies, and the rumor mill surrounding forged precinct paperwork in Minnehaha County. There’s also a classic Dakota Town Hall detour into Irish revolutionaries, reservation bar stories, and the best burgers in South Dakota before the gang closes with some unfiltered thoughts on the Rhoden vs. Dusty primary fight and why nobody in this state seems to actually vote anymore. Same chaos, new week. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min

  3. MAY 1

    Debates, Taxes, and Hippo Diplomacy

    Back again! Fresh off the Sioux Falls gubernatorial debate, we break down what actually mattered and what was pure campaign theater. Patrick Lalley joins the show to pull back the curtain on the production, the strategy, and the moments that will actually move voters. We get into Dusty’s polish, Hansen’s messaging, Rhoden’s presence, and whether Toby Doeden’s playbook is already locked in. Plus, the bigger question: are these debates about persuasion anymore, or just fuel for the next round of campaign clips? Then we dive straight into the property tax fight that just won’t die, including a new referendum push that could reshape the conversation, or prove it’s all just a tax shell game. Candidates Ned Horsted and Nicole Mitzel jump in on affordability, public safety, and what voters are actually saying at the doors. And of course, we hit campaign tactics, AG drama, and yes… an unexpected international hippo negotiation that might be the most realistic policy proposal of the week. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr

  4. APR 24

    Poll Position

    Back again! This week on the show, Jake and Murdoc dive straight into the poll everyone in South Dakota is talking about. Dan Ahlers joins fresh off locking up the Democratic nomination for governor and makes his case on property taxes, affordable housing, healthcare, and why he thinks 50 years of one-party rule has run its course. Plus, Alex Rifaat from South Dakota News Watch breaks down the newest GOP governor numbers, why Dusty Johnson keeps climbing, how John Hansen suddenly surged into second, and what it means for Larry Rhoden, Toby Doeden, and the rest of the field. We also get into Bill Meirose and his challenge against John Carley in District 29, with a heavy focus on Meade County property taxes, school closures, limestone mining fights, and the never-ending zoning wars out west. And of course, we hit the fallout from the Kristi Noem polling, early voting delays across the state, gubernatorial attack ads getting sharper, Kaleb Weiss apparently owning an emu, and yes… Murdoc is still trying to bring hippos to South Dakota. Because of course he is. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    57 min

  5. APR 17

    Affordability and Hippo Politics

    Back again! This week on the show we head to District 8 with John Nelson jumping into a packed House race, Casey Crabtree laying out why affordability is becoming the defining issue in South Dakota politics, and the ungovernable Pat Powers jumping in to stir up the ballot chaos, convention chatter, and governor’s race crossfire. We get into the farm economy squeeze, property tax reality, economic development fights, TIF confusion, and why the debate over who can actually put more money back in voters’ pockets is quickly becoming the whole race. Plus we hit the early voting mess, turnout math, the GOP convention money crunch, and of course the only Dakota Town Hall side quest wild enough to steal the third break: Murdoc’s full-blown campaign to bring Pablo Escobar’s Colombian hippos to Reptile Gardens. Add in gizzard diplomacy, Pizza Ranch politics, and Pat’s signature war-college-level chaos, and this one feels like campaign season in South Dakota finally hitting full speed. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m

  6. APR 10

    Bombers and Ballot Wars

    Back again! This week on the show we’re loaded up with campaign energy as Jason Fleming jumps in on the District 35 race, Amber Hulse lays out her reelection case in District 30, and Wyatt DeJong joins the District 21 scrum. We get into the B-21 buildup, Ellsworth’s long-term economic ripple effect, the fight over whether West River is finally getting the infrastructure and defense investment it needs, and why Rapid City’s next phase of growth is becoming one of the biggest political stories in the state. Plus Amber breaks down the session’s late-stage chaos, anti-SLAPP protections, property tax relief, and how the governor’s race turned Pierre into a faction-on-faction psychological experiment. Plus we hit the opioid settlement tug-of-war between big-city impact and rural access, the prison rehab fight now bleeding into the governor’s primary, and the latest candidate shuffle as races lock in across the map. And of course, we close the only way Dakota Town Hall can with burger rankings, campaign trail banter, and enough primary-season side chatter to remind you South Dakota politics is fully in motion. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min

  7. APR 3

    Gavels Down, Campaigns Up

    Back again! On the show this week we’re joined by Ryan Budmayr, returning show historian Tony Venhuizen, and District 13 Senate candidate Dan Kippley for a fast-moving episode on how the session ended, what actually got done in Pierre, and how the governor’s debate is already reshaping the 2026 race. We get into historic property tax relief, TIF and Future Fund fights, the battle over economic development, and why the divide between growth-first Republicans and the populist wing is only getting sharper. Plus Dan jumps in to talk about his District 13 Senate run, why he’s leaning on his economic development background, what “common sense politics” looks like in Sioux Falls, and how he plans to grind through one of the toughest primaries in the state. We also hit petitions, yard sign wars, debate fallout, and the campaign-season chaos that’s officially underway. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m

  8. MAR 27

    Session Fallout, Tax Shifts, and the Future of Sioux Falls

    Back again! On the show this week we’re joined by South Dakota Searchlight reporter John Hult and South Dakota Chamber CEO Ryan Budmayr for a wide-ranging episode on what did—and didn’t—happen in Pierre this session. Plug in as we talk about prison reform that stalled out, what lawmakers avoided tackling, the reality of rehabilitation efforts, and how campaign politics may be shaping those decisions. We also get into economic development, TIF changes, data center incentives that didn’t make it, property tax shakeups, shifting the tax burden, and what it all means for businesses and communities across the state. Plus we dive into Sioux Falls’ massive upcoming transformation with the Smithfield move, what doubling downtown could look like, the politics behind big development projects, and how local leadership is navigating it all. And of course, we wrap with campaign season chatter, candidate announcements, legislative leftovers, and the always important debate… best burgers in South Dakota. @DakotaTownHall @Jakeshoenbeck @MurdocJ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
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About

South Dakota's Weekly Political Podcast - hosted by Jake Shoenbeck, and Murdoc. Join us every Friday as we discuss the top political topics of the week while speaking with the movers and shakers of the SD political landscape. Another HomeSlice Audio Production. Search for Dakota Town Hall in your favorite player or follow their socials - @DakotaTownHall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    The HomeSlice Media Group
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    213
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The HomeSlice Media Group
  • Show Website
    Dakota Town Hall

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