Dusty Johnson? Too much Mr. Nice Guy, no pizzazz, no fire in the belly
How to explain Dusty Johnson’s free fall from favorite to also-ran? It was no mystery. Form, style and presentation had more to do with it than substance.
At the start he seemed the perfect candidate, given both his state- and federal-level experience as an elected official. Knowing the ropes in those two dimensions of government, he could have been an effective and productive governor, pulling the right levers, getting through the red tape, knowing who to call and when to call.
I liked him on a practical level and was hoping he’d win this thing, but his message lacked specificity and animation. I don’t recall any tv commercials that singled out issues like education policy, healthcare, tax reform, the childcare crisis … nothing. As to animation, there wasn’t much. He comes across as a well-groomed, well-meaning sort, but way short on dynamics. If there’s fire in that belly of his, it’s probably a case of mild heartburn.
One spot that made me cringe was headlined “Dusty Johnson Delivers.” Its contents were about Chinese ownership of South Dakota farmland, speeding up border wall construction, and protecting women’s sports at our service academies. Onscreen he’s seen sauntering around a corral and a barn with an admirer who is gushingly enthusiastic about the candidate “delivering.” After watching it, I was like, delivering what? Women’s sports at West Point? Johnson introduced the spot by giddily posting on Facebook, “Check out our new AD!”
I did check it out and I was left wondering what that exclamation point was about.
Another ad had him snuggling up with his wife, who touts him as a potentially “amazing governor.” I appreciated the endorsement from his her, but I doubt that voters saw enough in the commercial to consider him for governor, amazing or otherwise. The Johnson campaign’s fixation with his family included a spot with his sons that did make some offhand allusions to issues like growing the economy and reducing taxes, but not in any substantive way. It seemed like family affability was meant to be the ad’s selling point.
Nothing against affability, of course. I’m glad he’s got a great family, but I want to know something about how he’d address, say, the state’s childcare crisis or our chronic labor shortage.
One ad did focus on education. It said he was “putting students first,” but didn’t say how, other than mentioning he has a plan for education. If he indeed did have a plan, I don’t recall the details, or the generalities for that matter, ever coming out in his ads.
Johnson’s steep descent from favorite to also-ran came about because Dusty never created a compelling persona for himself. Being a well-scrubbed nice guy doesn’t sell in the political marketplace. If it did, the brusk – no doubt some would say brutish – Toby Doeden wouldn’t be in the runoff for governor, exchanging blows with that quintessential and authentic westerner Larry Rhoden.
Their contest will be a contrast between two clear, compelling identities. You could say it’s a shame that modern politics has come down to this, but perennial Mr. Nice Guy Dusty Johnson would be way out of his element in the brawl that’s about to ensue.
John Tsitrian is a businessman and writer from the Black Hills. He was a weekly columnist for the Rapid City Journal for 20 years. His articles and commentary have also appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Denver Post and The Omaha World-Herald. Tsitrian served in the Marines for three years (1966-69), including a 13-month tour of duty as a radioman in Vietnam. Republish with permission.
Photo: public domain, wikimedia commons
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