‘RINOs’, ‘wackadoodles’ and the primary prescription

The South Dakota Republican Party is arguably the most powerful special interest group in the state. With just over half of the state’s registered voters, Republicans dominate all statewide offices and over 90% of legislative seats. They control the state’s election system and government.

The Republican primary is the only election that usually matters in South Dakota. The party employs a closed primary system, allowing only registered Republicans to vote in it — though all taxpayers fund it. In most cases, the Republican primary winners are the default winners of the general election. 

That’s been a cozy system for the Republican Party for many years. However, it is no longer working so well. Internal conflicts are threatening the party’s cohesion, highlighting the need for electoral reform.

In the last several years a new and powerful faction has emerged in the party. The new group surprised mainstream Republicans at a recent party convention and primary election. This new group thinks the party should be more conservative. They have been labeled by some traditional party leaders as “wackadoodles.” Meanwhile, the new faction refers to traditional Republicans as “RINOs,” which stands for Republican In Name Only. The situation is not ideal. But change may be on the way. 

South Dakota voters have a chance to change the state’s primary election system in November. Amendment H is on the ballot and would eliminate the Republican and Democratic primaries. It would create a South Dakota primary in which all candidates would be listed on a single ballot, all voters would get that ballot, and the top-two vote getters would move on to the general election. Many RINOs see this as a chance to broaden the party’s base and restore more traditional South Dakota values in government. The wackadoodles are generally opposed to the idea. 

RINOs are the traditional, mainstream, business-friendly Republicans who have controlled the party and the state for decades. Up until recently, they were recognized as the state’s conservatives. Most registered Republicans, maybe as much as 90% of them, fall into this category, and most seem largely unaware of the takeover battle going on within their party. 

Unaware of the real menace to business as usual, those inattentive RINOs see Amendment H as a threat to the monopolistic power their party and views have enjoyed for many years. Thankfully, their more engaged leaders are aware of the party’s growing divisiveness. They tend to be quietly supportive of Amendment H, or at least resigned to its necessity. 

The wackadoodles are populists tapping into a litany of frustrations with the political establishment. They are a small but effective group. Individual members are each energized by one issue or another, but united in their disdain for the establishment. Some express anti-business attitudes. 

Their version of conservatism often is more concerned with social issues than the traditional group. The wackadoodles have unspecified standards for deciding who qualifies as a true conservative. Many of them reportedly consider our conservative congressional delegation and governor to be RINOs. 

The 2023 party convention in Watertown demonstrated the divisions within the party. The wackadoodles showed up in large numbers while the RINOs didn’t. The incumbent Republican secretary of state was dumped, and the incumbent lieutenant governor nearly was, too. Only a last-minute appeal from the governor kept him on the ticket. 

Then in the June 2024 Republican primary, there was a record low 17% voter turnout. Once again, the wackadoodles showed up and the RINOs did not. About a dozen mainstream incumbent Republican legislators were kicked out of office by candidates supported by the wackadoodle faction of the party. As a result, legislative leadership and agendas are certainly up in the air leading into the 2025 legislative session. 

This takeover of the state Republican Party poses real threats to South Dakota and its favorable business climate. The business community has long had significant sway within the party. Perceptive business leaders are now worried about what this new direction for the party might mean for the state’s business climate. This shift could undermine the historically stable, business-friendly environment.

South Dakota voters will have the opportunity in November to change the way our primary election system works and reduce the risk created by fringe groups.