Noem Replacement Candidate Raises $100,000
Comes as Noem makes a run for Governor
Former South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner Dusty Johnson said he raised $104,000 in the final weeks of 2016 for his campaign to succeed Rep. Kristi Noem.
Johnson raised the money in the final weeks of December after Noem announced she would run for governor, the Argus Leader reported.
The fundraising numbers come as Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard told the Mitchell Daily Republic that he would endorse Johnson. Johnson served as the governor’s chief of staff in his first term.
Johnson currently is vice president of the telecommunications and engineering firm Vantage Point Solutions. He told the Daily Republic that he wants to prioritize telecommunications, transparency, infrastructure and imposing a “reasonable regulatory” environment if elected.
[Who Could Run for Kristi Noem’s At-Large Seat?]
South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs, also a Republican, is also considering running for the seat, The Associated Press reported.