Commentary

COMMENTARY
Monae Johnson waits to welcome potential voters at an October 2022 meet-and-great in a Rapid City coffee shop, during her campaign to become South Dakota's secretary of state. (Seth Tupper/SD Searchlight)

The trouble with Monae Johnson and Jell-O

BY: - October 28, 2022

I was interviewing U.S. Sen. John Thune several years ago when he used a phrase I’d never heard in a political context. He said rounding up votes in the Senate was like “nailing Jell-O to a tree.” Lately, I’ve been thinking the same description applies to something else: interviewing Monae Johnson about the 2020 presidential […]

COMMENTARY
(Illustration by Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Shining a new light on South Dakota

BY: - October 25, 2022

When I was in journalism school more than 20 years ago, a professor arranged a conference call for a group of students with a national magazine editor. I asked for career advice. The editor replied, “I’ll tell you one thing: I wouldn’t get a job at a newspaper.” That was probably not the answer my […]

COMMENTARY
(Getty Images)

Research shows potential positive results of Medicaid expansion

BY: - October 25, 2022

Expanding Medicaid in South Dakota will create better health, stronger hospitals and more vibrant schools and businesses, supporters of Amendment D claim. Apparently, South Dakotans agree as recent polls show up to 62 percent favor expansion. The issue is on statewide ballots in the Nov. 8 general election. Nearly all of the state’s medical associations, […]