Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen attends a hearing July 25, 2023, in Fort Pierre on a permit application for the proposed Heartland Greenway carbon dioxide pipeline. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Spotlight)
Challenges mounted by a faction of the state Republican Party failed Saturday in Pierre when delegates to the state convention chose a candidate for the Public Utilities Commission and several party officials.
PUC incumbent Kristie Fiegen won the party’s nomination for the position and will seek re-election in November. Republicans chose Fiegen over challenger Amber Christenson.
Meanwhile, Gideon Oakes has declared his intention to seek the Libertarian Party nomination for PUC at that party’s June 29 convention in Pierre, and Democrats may nominate a candidate at their state convention next weekend in Oacoma.
A challenger for the Republican Party’s national committeeman position, state Rep. Phil Jensen of Rapid City, withdrew from the race, and convention delegates chose Watertown mayor and former legislator Ried Holien, who also won the position at a previous convention. In the national committee woman race, delegates chose Heidi Engelhart of Aberdeen over Amber Hulse of Hot Springs. Hulse won the District 30 Republican nomination for state Senate on Tuesday, defeating incumbent Julie Frye-Mueller.
Delegates named Governor Kristi Noem, Lt. Governor Larry Rhoden and Attorney General Marty Jackley as the party’s three presidential electors.
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